Muttiah Muralitharan served Sri Lankan cricket for 18 years. Since his debut in August 1992, Murali has seen many ups and downs of the Sri Lankan cricket. He became a legend of the game and arguably one of world’s top two spinners along with Shane Warne. Although Murali had 534 ODI wickets with a 7/30 against India, he was more remembered for his heroics in Test cricket. Against every team he played Test cricket he managed to take at least 100 wickets. His record of 67 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket hauls put him in a different plane as Shane Warne is the second-best in both with 37 and 10 respectively.
22nd July 2010 was the last day of Test cricket for Murali. The Indian team was touring and Murali announced his retirement from Test cricket after the first Test match of the series. Till then his record was 792 wickets from 132 Test matches. He was again having a huge lead from the second position holder Warner who had 708 Test wickets but fans were not sure whether he would be able to take those eight wickets in one test match to reach the unprecedented 800.
Sri Lanka won the toss and batted first. Thanks to the centuries from Tharanga Paranavitana (111) and Kumar Sangakkara (103) and an 8th wicket partnership of 115 runs between Rangana Herath (80*) and Lasith Malinga (64) took them to 520 before declaring on day three. In between the second day was entirely washed out due to rain.
By the end of day three, India was on 140/3 and Murali added the wicket of Sachin Tendulkar to reach 793. On day four, Murali came on his own and ran through the Indian lower order. Only Sehwag scored a hundred and Yuvraj a fifty but rest surrendered in front of Murali who finished with five for 63 (Total tally 797) and India had to follow on after scoring 276.
In the second innings, Lasith Malinga provided the early blow and at the last moments of day four Murali picked up Yuvraj for the second time in the match to reach 798. India were 181/5 and all hopes were on VVS Laxman to save the test match.
Murali picked up Harbhajan on day five to reach 799 but Malinga picked up Dhoni and Mithun and with two wickets left it was a tricky situation. Then Laxman was run out after a fighting 69. With one wicket to go and Malinga in great form fans thought this would end like a story of ‘so near yet so far’. However, Ishant Sharma and Pragyan Ojha added 24 runs before a Murali delivery took the edge of Ojha’s bat and went straight to Mahela Jayawardene at the slip for the 78th and last time in Tests. It was a dream come true for Murali and the fans! He finished with a dramatic 800th wicket and ended his career with a wicket on the final ball.
Video: Muralitharan last test match
