In an awe-inspiring spell, Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon took four wickets in six balls to rock Pakistan on Day 1 of the second Test at Abu Dhabi Tuesday.
Lyon, 30, dismissed Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail of consecutive deliveries in 20th over, then Pakistan debutant Fakhar Zaman played out a maiden over from Jon Holland.
In the next over, Lyon accounted for Asad Shafiq and Babar Azam to reduced Pakistan to 57/5 after 22 overs.
In the process, Lyon became Australia's fourth most successful Test wicket-taker, leapfrogging both Mitchell Johnson (313) and Brett Lee (310).
Dennis Lillee (355), Glenn McGrath (563) and Shane Warne (708) are ahead of Lyon in Australia's all-time wicket-takers' list.
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With these four wickets, he now has 314 Test scalps.
This is also the first time in last 10 years for a spinner to take four wickets in the first session on the first day of a Test match.
How wickets fell:
WW|0W0W
19.5 - Azhar Ali c and b Lyon 15(48)
19.6 - Haris Sohail c Head b Lyon 0(1)
Fakhar Zaman played a maiden over off Holland
21.2 - Shafiq c Labuschagne b Lyon 0(2)
21.4 - Babar Azam b Lyon 0(2)
Australia are targeting their first series win in Asia since 2011. The trying conditions of the pitches and hot weather have stopped Australia from winning a series since they beat Sri Lanka 1-0 in 2011.
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Since then they have lost 4-0 in India (2013), 2-0 in the United Arab Emirates to Pakistan (2014), 3-0 in Sri Lanka (2016), 2-1 in India (2017) and drew 1-1 in Bangladesh last year.
Aussies snatched a morale-boosting draw on the fifth and final day in the first Test in Dubai, the skipper and number 10 Nathan Lyon seeing out the final 12.2 overs after being set a daunting target of 462 runs.
(With Agency inputs)
