Quotes

"The truth is that a foolish mistake was made at the heat of the moment and I know Suraj (Randiv) regrets it now. I also have no doubt that Suraj, a youngster with a great attitude and big future, will learn from this. As a team unit we need to look after and protect him."

"I can assure you all that no instructions were sent by me to bowl a no ball. Of course, like any competitive captain, I would have been happy taking Sehwag’s wicket or stopping the winnings run for as long as possible, but intentionally bowling a no ball to deny Virender his hundred is certainly not how I play my cricket. People who know me, know that."

"I believe I could have played for another two or three years but I thought I should retire on a high. I wanted people to be asking why I have gone and not why I am still playing, that’s why I retired now."

"Yes, there have been many controversies, and sometimes more controversies than cricket. But at the end of the day, even the controversies were good for me, I think. Whatever wrong there was being done, it came out in the open. It has also made me popular, hasn't it?"

"Tears of joy just flow down my cheeks when I realise how special he is to the people of Sri Lanka, how much they love him and how much he means to them. I have never seen anybody in any sphere of life get this kind of a farewell. I am proud to be Murali’s wife. I never expected all of this. People have composed songs on Murali, life-size cutouts and posters are everywhere!"

"If you see Lasith Malinga, the kind of action he has got makes it difficult and he got reverse swing going as well. With Malinga, even if you are set, if he comes for a fresh spell, it can be the second spell or the third spell, you can’t really say you are set. You have to start all over again because he has got a unique action. The way he bowled, he normally used to bring the ball in, but in this match we saw he could take it away also, so if you don’t pick a single delivery of his, you can be in trouble."

"I started playing when I was 8 years old and I still listen to my coach from school days. Arjuna Ranatunga and de Silva and all those guys helped me through the tough times in 1995.. the umpires make their judgments through naked eye, so nothing against them.. I have no grudge against them and happy to have made it through the tough times. I always thought if something goes wrong I can bowl leg spin and continue playing cricket! I'm available for the World Cup if the selectors need me. I want to play some more Twenty20 cricket. I made a lot of friends through cricket and sometimes my team-mates said I talk too much with opposition players!"

"The first thing a young spinner could learn from Murali is a lesson in humility. His patience was also amazing. He told me sometimes he had to bowl 40-50 overs to get a five-for and at times he got it in just 15 overs. To excel at the highest level, you have to be able to exercise patience and have a strong character. That is the best thing anyone can learn from Murali."

"Murali's best quality is his simplicity. He is down-to-earth; he doesn't make you feel he is a world record-holder. He always makes you feel comfortable in his company. On the field I've never seen him get aggressive or yell at anyone. He always challenged the batsman in a nice manner and motivated his team with a smile and through hard work. Even for an opponent, he was a shining example."

"Our careers ran parallel. The hard times and the good times we went through together… Going on to win the World Cup in 1996 was the pinnacle. I also remember the Oval Test with great fondness, when we beat England in England for the first time, We both played a crucial part in our team’s success. Murali got 16 wickets in that Test, and I got a double hundred. That victory is a very special moment along with winning the World Cup."