 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Factbox on Muttiah Muralitharan after he became the second player in Test cricket to take 600 wickets.
Born: April 17, 1972; Kandy, Sri Lanka.
1992 - Makes Test debut against Australia.
1993 - Plays in his first one-day international against India.
1995 - Called for throwing by Australian umpire Darrell Hair, prompting continuing debate about the legality of his action.
1997 - Takes 100th Test wicket against New Zealand.
1998 - Takes 200th Test wicket against England. Called again for throwing during one-day international in Adelaide, prompting the Sri Lanka team to leave the field in protest. Subsequent tests show that Muralitharan bowls with a bent elbow due to a congenital deformity but he conforms to the rules because he does not straighten his arm during delivery.
1999 - Named as one of Wisden's five cricketers of the year. First county cricket appearance for Lancashire.
2000 - Takes 300th Test wicket against South Africa.
2002 - Becomes the youngest and quickest player to take 400 Test wickets, reaching the mark in Sri Lanka's third Test against Zimbabwe, only the 72nd Test of his career.
2003 - Joins county side Kent.
2004 - Becomes only the third man after Courtney Walsh and Shane Warne to take 500 Test wickets in Sri Lanka's second Test against Australia in Kandy.
April, reported for a suspect action by match referee Chris Broad after home Test series against Australia. Broad says he is only worried about legality of special Muralitharan 'doosra' delivery which turns away from right-handed batsmen.
May, takes 6-45 off 24.2 overs on first day of first Test v Zimbabwe, bowling Douglas Hondo for his sixth wicket to match former West Indies pace bowler Courtney Walsh's world mark of 519 Test victims. Captures his 520th and 521st wickets as Sri Lanka wrap up the Test by an innings and 240 runs on the third day.
2005 - Suffers injury-plagued year and is forced to have a shoulder operation in August to remove a cyst.
2006 - Undergoes second operation on his shoulder to prevent further tendon damage. Reiterates threat to never tour Australia again after constant spectator abuse over his action.
March 10, Takes 600th Test wicket in second Test against Bangladesh, joining Australia's Warne (659) as the only bowlers to reach the milestone.
