Daijiworld Media Network - Colombo (SHP)

Colombo, Nov 28: Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan is ready to take reins of his new role as the governor of the country's Tamil-dominated Northern Province. A media report on Wednesday claimed that Muralitharan was personally invited by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to accept the post. The 47-year-old ace spinner, the record holder for highest wickets in Test cricket (800), is among the three new governors tipped to be appointed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who bagged a major victory in the November 16 presidential election.

"President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had personally invited Muralidharan to accept the post of the Governor of the Northern Province," the Daily Mirror quoted presidential secretariat sources as saying.

While Muralitharan will be handling the post as the governor of the Northern Province, Anuradha Yahampath would be assigned the role of the governor for the Eastern Province and Tissa Vitharana will take charge as the governor of the North Central Province, the report stated.

Yahampath is the chairperson of the Nationalist Entrepreneurs Association and a Director of a reputed garment export company. Vitharana is a former minister and the leader of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), a Trotskyist political party. He is also a specialist doctor.

Muralitharan married Madhimalar Ramamurthy, a Chennai native, in March 2005. During his time as a cricketer, Muralitharan was regarded as the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002. He retired from Test cricket in 2010.