(REUTERS) – Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will retire from international cricket after the February 19-April 2 World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Muralitharan, the world’s leading wicket-taker in Tests and one-day internationals, had retired from the five-day format last July against India, after reaching exactly 800 Test wickets. “This World Cup will be my last outing,” Muralitharan told reporters on the sidelines of a training session in Colombo.
“I am retiring totally from international cricket thereafter.”
The Sri Lankan, who played for the Chennai Super Kings franchise in the first three editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), will continue to play Twenty20 cricket.
“My time is up. I have signed up to play for two years in the IPL. I am also looking at similar work in New Zealand and perhaps England,” added Muralitharan, who has taken 517 wickets in 339 one-dayers.
“This is my fourth World Cup. We won in 1996 and came close in 2007 by reaching the final. This would be a memorable one for me and for Sri Lankan fans.”
Muralitharan ruled out any plans of coaching stint in the near future.
“There are plenty of coaches and lots of talented people out there,” he said.
“I will take things as they come. For the moment, no coaching stints.”