Muttiah Muralitharan's biggest fan
All Test long the television cameras have been panning to Muttiah Muralitharan’s wife, Madhimalar, who has been joyously cheering her husband’s every ball as his remarkable career draws to a close
Tariq Engineer
25-Feb-2013
All Test long the television cameras have been panning to Muttiah Muralitharan’s wife, Madhimalar, who has been joyously cheering her husband’s every ball as his remarkable career draws to a close. In an interview with the Times of India, she reveals that she tried to convince him to carry on, but Murali had made up his mind.
The grand farewell at Galle has overwhelmed her, but she seems sad this is Murali's last Test. "I have been watching each and every ball of this Test. I've been here day from morning to evening. He discussed his plans with me before making them public. I wanted him to carry on, but when we realized he had made up his mind there was nothing we could do about it. We wanted him to at least play the whole series, but he would have none of it. Once he has made up his mind he won't listen to anyone," she says, shaking her head.
"Murali never brings cricket or his troubles home, and I don't prod him. But this time he discussed. He said he wanted to give youngsters an opportunity and not hang on."
Tariq Engineer is a former senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo