The Australian star spinner Nathan Lyon made his name in the books of history on February 1, Saturday, by becoming the first spinner and second bowler in world cricket to take 200 wickets in the World Test Championship (WTC). He achieved this milestone during the first session of the fourth day of play on the ongoing first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia at Galle International Stadium.
Before the lunch, Layan dismissed former Sri Lankan skipper Dinesh Chandimal on the last ball before lunch to pick up his first wicket in the second innings and 200th in the World Test Championship (WTC). Chandimal was caught by Travis Head after scoring 31 runs off 49 balls.
MOST WICKETS IN WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP (WTC)
Nathan Lyon - 200* wickets
Ravichandran Ashwin - 200 wickets
Ravindra Jadeja - 131 wickets
Jack Leach - 106 wickets
Keshav Maharaj - 104 wickets
The Australian Test and ODI skipper Pat Cummins was the first bowler to take 200 wickets in WTC. He achieved this milestone during the fifth Test in Sydney against India on January 5, 2025, in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25.
If Lyon continues to take one more wicket in the second innings in Sri Lanka, then he will surpass Cummins record and become the most successful bowler in the history of WTC. He has 543 scalps in 135 Test matches, including 23 fifers in the format. He is the third leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, dismissing three Sri Lankan batters in the first innings that helped the hosts to stop at 165 runs.