Muralitharan tops 700

Muttiah Muralitharan enjoys the wicket of Mohammad Ashraful en route to 700 © Getty Images

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Muttiah Muralitharan grabbed his 700th Test wicket with the final delivery of the match as Sri Lanka completed a series whitewash over Bangladesh.

Their innings-and-193-run victory on day four of the final Test in Kandy ensured Sri Lanka become only the third side in history to win a three-Test series by an innings margin in each match.

Muralitharan became the second man in history - after Shane Warne - to reach the 700-wicket milestone thanks to a scintillating display, his second-innings figures of 6-54 coming on the back of 6-28 in the first innings.

The 35-year-old claimed the key wicket of Shahriar Nafees shortly after Bangladesh had returned from lunch on 106 for two, the young left-hander falling for 64 after edging a quicker delivery to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.

The loss of Nafees prompted a middle- and lower-order collapse, with the remaining seven wickets tumbling for just 53 runs as the tourists were bowled out for 176.

Muralitharan trapped Mohammad Ashraful leg before, while Mushfiqur Rahim was caught by Upul Tharanga off Sujeewa de Silva five balls later.

Mahela Jayawardene catches Shahriar Nafees off Murali's bowling © Getty Images

De Silva had Rajin Saleh caught behind for a duck before Muralitharan struck again, substitute fielder Malinda Warnapura taking a simple catch at long-on to dismiss Mashrafe Mortaza.

Tushar Imran was caught at mid-wicket off Lasith Malinga and Muralitharan moved to within one wicket of a place in the history books by bowling Shahadat Hossain.

He brought up the magic 700 in typical fashion, inducing a wild swing from number 11 Syed Rasel that flew high and into the hands of Farveez Maharoof.

Earlier, the tourists - aided by Nafees' half-century - eased past 100 for the loss of just two wickets before rain prompted an early lunch, after Sri Lanka declared overnight on 500 for four.

Requiring 369 to avoid another innings defeat, Bangladesh's second innings set off at a brisk pace, openers Nafees and Javed Omar putting on a stand of 47 before the first wicket fell.

Malinga made the breakthrough when he had Omar caught at first slip by Kumar Sangakarra off a delivery that climbed on him.

Having top-scored with 29 in Bangladesh’s woeful first-innings total of 131, Nafees again appeared the man most likely to bring a dash of respectability to the tourists' scorecard.

The 21-year-old raced to his third Test fifty off just 71 balls, including eight fours, but he saw Habibul Bashar, aiming across the line, bowled by Muralitharan shortly after.

Muralitharan’s sights will now be set on breaking Warne's record of 708 Test wickets when Sri Lanka contest their next Test series against Australia in November.