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Retiring off-sp
The 38-year-old Muralitharan, the leading wicket-taker in tests and one-day internationals, dismissed India's Pragyan Ojha to reach the milestone in his final test match appearance.
PP Ojha c DPMD Jayawardene b Muralitharan 13
Murali's record feat also signalled the end of the tourists' innings as they were all out for 338, having resumed the final day on 181 for five.
Galle has been Muralitharan's favourite hunting ground, where he has taken 103 wickets in 14 matches with an average of 18.
Muralitharan made his Test debut in 1992 against Australia in Colombo and has since taken 22, 10-wicket hauls. He has taken five wickets in a Test innings on a record 67 occasions.
It took him 27 Tests to claim 100 wickets; the hundreds thereafter came in 15, 16, 14, 15, 14 and 12 Tests respectively.
Muralitharan has also taken 515 wickets in 337 one-day internationals, and a further 13 in Twenty20 internationals. .
"I don't believe in numbers — 800 is just a number everyone will forget once you retire," the veteran cricketer said in an earlier media interview.
His unorthodox bowling style and competitive spirit made him a nightmare for a generation of batsmen.
Part of the World Cup-winning side in 1996, he was instrumental in the run to the final 11 years later, and he played his part in some of the country's greatest sporting moments. - MSV-