Nathan Lyon surpasses Ravichandran Ashwin, Shane Warne; achieves historic WTC milestone
Published - 01 Feb 2025, 05:07 PM | Updated - 01 Feb 2025, 05:15 PM
Veteran Australian Nathan Lyon made history by breaking a significant World Test Championship (WTC) record after taking seven wickets in the first Test against Sri Lanka. Nathan Lyon also surpassed Indian bowler Ravichandran Ashwin to become the player with the most Test wickets in Sri Lanka.
Australia dominated the first Test match against Sri Lanka at Galle, winning by a massive 242 runs. Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon played a crucial role in dismantling the Sri Lankan batting line-up. Lyon had a standout performance, taking three wickets in the first innings and four in the second.
Nathan Lyon Surpasses Ravichandran Ashwin, Shane Warne In Elite List Of Bowlers
Nathan Lyon made history by surpassing Ravichandran Ashwin on the list of most Test wickets in Sri Lanka. Ashwin had 38 wickets, but Lyon's tally now stands at 42 wickets in Sri Lanka from nine matches, including two five-wicket hauls. He also surpassed the legendary Shane Warne's 37 wickets in the country.
Most Wickets by Visiting Spinners in Sri Lanka
| Player | Team | Matches | Wickets | BBI | Average | 5ws |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Lyon | Australia | 9 | 42 | 5/34 | 29.90 | 2 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 6 | 38 | 6/46 | 21.57 | 3 |
| Saeed Ajmal | Pakistan | 8 | 38 | 5/146 | 32.39 | 2 |
| Shane Warne | Australia | 8 | 37 | 5/43 | 21.45 | 5 |
| Yasir Shah | Pakistan | 5 | 33 | 7/76 | 24.69 | 3 |
| Mitchell Starc | Australia | 6 | 32 | 6/50 | 16.68 | 3 |
Nathan Lyon Becomes Second Bowler To Reach 200 Wickets In World Test Championship
Nathan Lyon made history by becoming the first spinner and only the second bowler overall to reach 200 wickets in the history of the World Test Championship.
The 37-year-old bowler surpassed his teammate Pat Cummins to become the leading wicket-taker in WTC history, currently holding 203 wickets from 49 matches. Pat Cummins has taken 200 wickets in 47 matches, while India's Ravichandran Ashwin is in third place with a total of 195 wickets to his name.
Most Wickets in ICC World Test Championship (2019-2025)
| Player | Matches | Wickets | BBI | Average | 5ws |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Lyon | 49 | 203 | 8/64 | 26.89 | 10 |
| Pat Cummins | 47 | 200 | 6/91 | 22.63 | 9 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 41 | 195 | 7/71 | 21.49 | 11 |
| Mitchell Starc | 44 | 168 | 6/48 | 26.92 | 4 |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 35 | 156 | 6/27 | 18.61 | 10 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 33 | 151 | 6/46 | 22.27 | 7 |
Australia Already Secured Spot in World Test Championship (WTC) Final
Australia already secured their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, where they'll face South Africa at Lord's. The Aussies declared their first innings at a massive total of 654/6. Usman Khawaja scored a double century, supported by Josh Inglis's debut hundred and Steve Smith's 141.
Despite Dinesh Chandimal's 72, Sri Lanka were dismissed for 165 in their first innings. The hosts were bowled out for 247 in their second innings. Lyon, who is Australia's third-highest wicket-taker in Tests, also completed 50 Test wickets against Sri Lanka, with 53 wickets at an average of 32.81.
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Tagged:
Nathan Lyon Ravichandran Ashwin Pat Cummins Shane Warne Sri Lanka National Cricket Team Australia National Cricket Team
