Nathan Lyon etched his name into cricketing history on Saturday, February 1, as he became the first spinner and only the second bowler in the world to claim 200 wickets in the World Test Championship (WTC). The Australian off-spinner reached this remarkable milestone during the opening session of the fourth day’s play in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka at the Galle International Stadium.
The historic moment unfolded when Nathan Lyon dismissed the former Sri Lankan captain Dinesh Chandimal on the final delivery before lunch. Dinesh Chandimal, who had made a steady 31 off 49 balls, edged one to Travis Head, giving Nathan Lyon his first wicket of the second innings and securing his place in the record books.
Prior to Nathan Lyon’s achievement, Australia’s Test and ODI skipper Pat Cummins was the only bowler to reach the 200-wicket mark in the WTC history. Pat Cummins accomplished this feat on January 5, 2025, during the third day of the fifth Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Nathan Lyon, currently playing his 49th WTC match for the Baggy Greens, now stands on the brink of breaking Pat Cummins’ record. Should he take one more wicket in Sri Lanka’s second innings, he will surpass his teammate and become the most successful bowler in the WTC history.
The veteran off-spinner who is also Australia’s third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, Nathan Lyon played a crucial role in the first innings of the match. He claimed three scalps, helping Steve Smith-led side bowl Sri Lanka out for a modest 165 and enforce the follow-on.
In the overall list of leading wicket-takers in the WTC history, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins lead the pack, followed by India’s legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Australia’s pace spearhead Mitchell Starc, and India’s fast-bowling sensation Jasprit Bumrah.
Ravichandran Ashwin concluded his WTC career with 195 wickets from 41 matches, while Mitchell Starc has taken 168 wickets in 44 appearances so far. Jasprit Bumrah, currently ranked as the world’s top Test bowler by the ICC, has claimed 156 wickets in just 35 matches.
Jasprit Bumrah will next be seen in action during India’s upcoming five-match Test series in England, scheduled for June 2025. The series opener is set to take place at Headingley in Leeds from June 20 to 24, with subsequent matches slated for Birmingham, Lord’s, Manchester and The Oval.
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