Murali the greatest

The Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan on 5 February became the highest wicket taker in one-day internationals, darkening Pakistani pace legend Wasim Akram's world record of 502 wickets. The legendary off-spinner dismissed Indian opener Gautam Gambhir to become the most successful bowler in the history of the game as he already holds the record of the most Test wickets (769) in 125 matches.
The 36-year-old spinner achieved the feat playing in his 328th match, while Akram had played 356 ties to create his tally.
The Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan became the highest wicket taker in one-day internationals when he claimed his 503rd victim today.
Muralitharan had India's Gautam Gambhir caught by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara for 150 in the fourth one-day international in Colombo to move above the Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram at the top of the list.
The 36-year-old Muralitharan, who reached the milestone in his 328th one-day international, is also Test cricket's highest wicket taker with 769 victims.
"I am very proud and happy to have achieved this record and it is a great honour for a small nation like Sri Lanka to now hold two bowling world records," Muralitharan said in a televised interview. "There is no secret to my success apart from the fact I was fortunate to be blessed with natural talent and I have worked very hard throughout my career.”
"I would like to dedicate the record to my parents and family who have always been there for me through good times and bad."
Muralitharan has taken five wickets in a Test innings on 66 occasions and collected 22 10-wicket match hauls in a career plagued by controversy because of his unusual bent-arm action which relies on a super-flexible and strong wrist.
Despite breaking the record, Muralitharan had an otherwise disappointing time with the ball against India, ending with figures of one for 66 as Gambhir hit a career-best 150 off 147 balls, including 14 fours and a six. Gambhir was well supplemented by the captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's 94 off 96 balls as poor ground fielding and wayward bowling by Sri Lanka enabled the tourists to score 332 for five by the end of their innings.
India's scoring was all the more impressive for the fact that Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan were rested and replaced by Rohit Sharma and Irfan Pathan with the tourists 30 up in the five-match series.