Muttiah Muralitharan feels honoured to receive praise from Indian PM Narendra Modi

Honorable Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi is on a two-day visit to neighbouring Sri Lanka and was addressing the Tamils of Indian-origin in Colombo on Friday. He was praising the contribution Indian-origin Tamils in the Sri Lankan capital. But little did the former Sri Lankan legendary spinner Muttiah Muralitharan know that the PM of India would mention his name in the speech.

Narendra Modi said that the Indian-origin Tamil community of Sri Lanka had gifted many talented professionals over the years, including the national icon ‘Puratchi Thalaivar’ MGR and spin-king of Sri Lanka Muttiah Muralitharan. The 45-year-old owner of 800 Test wickets was dumb-founded at this mention by Mr. Modi.

“It is a pleasant surprise for me that he (Narendra Modi) mentioned my name in his address.” The ever-happy ‘smiling assassin’ further added “It is a very close relationship. For Sri Lanka, India is like an elder brother. That’s the kind of relationship we share. We need India’s help and India can help us in so many ways. That will be great for our country,” he said speaking to PTI.

On India-Sri Lanka relation

Muralitharan is currently in India, for he is the bowling coach of the defending champions of Indian Premier League (IPL) Sunrisers Hyderabad. The son of a family in Kandy with confectionery interest said, “It is a very close relationship. For Sri Lanka, India is like an elder brother. That’s the kind of relationship we share. We need India’s help and India can help us in so many ways. That will be great for our country.”

“I have great relations with India as you know that I am married to a south Indian girl. Our ancestors are from India and we are like fourth or fifth generation. It is a very close network,” the ace bowler further exclaimed.

Besides 800 Test wickets in 133 matches, he also is the owner of 534 ODI wickets in 350 matches. His credentials do not stop here, as he maintained an exceptional economy rate of under 4 in ODIs and just above 6 in T20Is, though he has played just 12 T20I matches.

He was seen in action in the Cricket All-Stars Series in 2015 in the United States, playing for Sachin’s Blasters. Murali wishes that the cordial relation shared between India and Sri Lanka will grow further, as India can help the Islanders in multiple ways.