IND v AUS 2020: When did Nathan Lyon last play a T20I for Australia?

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon has been added to the Australia squad for the remaining two matches of the ongoing 3-match T20I series against India.

The 33-year-old Lyon comes in as replacement for 21-year-old all-rounder Cameron Green, who was released to represent Australia A in a 3-day warm-up game against India A from December 6-8 at the Drummoyne Oval in Sydney.

Nathan Lyon has undoubtedly been Australia’s best-ever off-spinner. In 96 Test matches, he has scalped 390 wickets at an average of 31.59, including eighteen 5-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket tallies.

But he has hardly any T20I numbers to speak of. Nathan Lyon has played just two T20Is till date, and they came within 33 months of each other.

On his Australia debut in the shortest format, the then 28-year-old bowled just one over against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on January 29, 2016. He conceded 15 runs in that over as India won the match by 27 runs. Notably, it was the same series Virat Kohli’s side whitewashed the Aussies 3-0.

Nathan Lyon’s second T20I appearance came against Pakistan on October 28, 2018 at the Dubai International Stadium. Opening the bowling for the visitors, Lyon accounted for the well-set Sahibzada Farhan (39 off 38) to finish with figures of 1 for 33 from 4 overs. However, it wasn’t enough as Australia lost that game by 33 runs.

All in all, Nathan Lyon’s T20I statistics - 1 wicket at an economy rate of 9.6, an average of 48 and a strike rate of 30.

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch, Sean Abbott, Alex Carey (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Daniel Sams, D’Arcy Short, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Matthew Wade (wk), Adam Zampa

Australia A squad: Jackson Bird, Joe Burns, Harry Conway, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head (wk), Nic Maddinson, Michael Neser, Tim Paine (wk), James Pattinson, Will Pucovski, Mark Steketee, Will Sutherland

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Nathan Lyon’s numbers in T20 cricket

Nathan Lyon, who has been a star for the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League (BBL), has a decent record in T20 cricket. Here are his statistics:

Matches played: 46

Innings bowled: 44

Balls delivered: 922

Wickets taken: 54

Runs conceded: 1108

Best innings figures: 5 for 23

Average: 20.51

Economy rate: 7.21

Strike rate: 17.0

4-wicket hauls: 1

5-wicket hauls: 1