Murali uses break to focus on charity work

Muttiah Muralitharan's enforced layoff after shoulder surgery has prompted him to focus his attention on a global fundraising mission for a charitable trust designed to help disadvantaged rural communities in Sri Lanka.

Muralitharan first travelled to England to wrap up his deal with Lancashire and participate in a charity evening at the Shenley Cricket Centre. He has now arrived in Canada to attend two felicitation-cum-fundraiser events in Ottawa and Toronto on October 8 and 9. Money will be raised through the auction of personal cricket memorabilia.

Muralitharan will return to Sri Lanka next week, and will then visit Jaffna in early November as a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for the World Food Programme, before flying to Australia in mid-November for a check-up with Dr David Young, the surgeon who operated on his bowling shoulder in August.

His focus on charity work - which provides a glimpse of his life after cricket - follows the setting up of the Muralidaran & Gunasekera Foundation two years ago. The foundation is currently involved in 90 humanitarian community projects in Sri Lanka, with many more in the pipeline.

Muralitharan remains hopeful of being fit in time for Sri Lanka's tour of New Zealand in December, contrary to some media reports which suggested that his comeback has been delayed, and has stepped up his rehabilitation programme. He will not resume bowling again, though, until after his meeting with Dr Young.