Akram, the man whose record was broken, led the tributes to Murali." I noticed his progress in 2003 and realised he was the only man who could break my record," he told AFP. "At times I jokingly told him not to play one-day cricket, so that my record would remain intact, but he is relentless in taking wickets. I am happy that a bowler of his calibre has broken my record.
"No matter what type of surface he has played on, no matter in which country, and against which team ... he is simply great and more than a good bowler, he is a good human being."