Murali signs off home career with wicket

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NEW DELHI: Muttiah Muralitharan took a wicket with his final ball in international cricket on home soil to put Sri Lanka in sight of the World Cup final on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old had Scott Styris lbw for 57 off the last delivery of his 10th over as New Zealand lost their last seven wickets for just 56 runs to be dismissed for a mediocre 217 in Colombo.

The off-spinner's final appearance in front of an adoring 38,000 crowd at the R. Premadasa stadium came on the day when virtually all attention was centred on Mohali.

"Playing your last match in your country is emotional. When I played my last Test and took eight wickets it was very emotional," said Muralitharan of his last Test against India in 2010 where he also took a wicket off his last ball.