Murali thinks 1000 Test wicket very far, dreams of playing 2011 WC

Port of Spain, Mar 21 (UNI) Sri Lankan Spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan dreams of playing the next World Cup in the sub-continent but he is not thinking of the magical 1000 Test wicket as of now.

''You know, I can go on to 40 years. I will be 38 by then so I could play in the next World Cup,'' Murali said of the 2011 edition of showpiece event to be hosted jointly by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

''It's all about how my mind thinks, how fit I am. I would love to play the next World Cup because it's on home soil,'' the record-breaking off-spinner said ahead of the crucial World Cup Group B match against Bangladesh.

Immediately after Shane Warne's retirement, Sri Lankan media had reported that Murali would go for the magical 1000 Test wicket mark, but the 34-year-old Lankan who had foxed several batsmen with his 'doosra' said the target was quite far.

Warne holds the world record with 708 Test scalps, 34 more than Muralitharan's but experts tip the Lankan to set a benchmark which others would only dream about in future.

''It's very difficult to reach there because you need another 300 wickets. It will take another 4-5 years or 40-45 Tests. I can only take it match by match,'' he said when mentioned of his reported aim to reach the lofty landmark.

''Having said so, I am still going up the ladder. Last year was my best as I took 96 wickets in 11 or 12 Tests.'' Muralitharan has a phenomenal strike rate of 54.45 while picking 674 wickets so far in his 110 Tests with 57 five-wicket and 19 ten-wicket hauls.

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