Murali an ambassador for United Nations

Muttiah Muralitharan has joined the United Nations World Food Program as an ambassador to fight hunger among school children. An AFP report says that Muralitharan will also take part in a walk in Colombo on Sunday to help raise money to feed children in the remote areas of Sri Lanka.

"I already have a foundation of my own helping the needy," Muralitharan said, "but I am also very happy to associate myself with the World Food Program."

Speaking to reporters at the function, Murali hit out at comments made by some Australian cricketers after he announced his decision not to tour that country for a Test series next month. Shane Warne called Murali "thin-skinned", while Dennis Lillee termed the decision a "real cop-out.

"It is easy for them to say that. Only I know what I have gone through," Murali responded. "Cricketers can say anything. Whatever I have achieved today, it has been with great difficulty."