Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the eighth bowler and the third Australian to pick up 500 Test wickets. Lyon reached this feat during Australia's Test series opener against Pakistan in Perth, where the hosts won by a massive margin of 360 runs.
Pat Cummins, the captain of Australia, lauded Lyon's accomplishment and praised him for his fortitude in the face of a six-month calf injury. Lyon had faced a setback earlier in the year during the Ashes but made a strong comeback in the Perth Test.
In the first innings of the match, Lyon took the wickets of Abdullah Shafique, Imam-ul-Haq, and Aamer Jamal, bringing his tally to 499 wickets. It seemed like he might go wicketless in the second innings as Australia's fast bowlers dominated the Pakistani batters. However, Lyon managed to reach the milestone during the 28th over when he successfully appealed for an LBW decision against Faheem Ashraf. He then dismissed Aamer Jamal in the same over to claim his 501st wicket.
With this achievement, Lyon joins the elite 500 Test wicket club, which includes Australian greats Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. He also becomes the fourth spinner to reach this milestone, alongside Muthiah Muralitharan and Anil Kumble.
The Perth Test was a one-sided affair, with Australia dominating both with the bat and ball. In the first inning, Australia scored 487 runs, while Pakistan could only manage 271 runs in response. Instead of enforcing a follow-on, Australia batted again in the second inning and posted a massive total of 450 runs. Pakistan, under immense scoreboard pressure, crumbled and were all out for just 89 runs.
The second Test match between Australia and Pakistan is scheduled to be played on Boxing Day at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Lyon will be looking to continue his impressive form and contribute to Australia's dominance in the series.
(Image Source: X @ESPNcricinfo)
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