Former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar spent an entire lifetime terrorising world-class batters. But there was one man who gave him sleepless nights – ex-India paceman Lakshmipathy Balaji. Their match-up during India’s victorious tour of Pakistan in 2004 still holds a special place in the history book of the game.
The 5-match ODI series was levelled 2-2 before the action unfolded at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. Balaji scored 10 not out of 6 deliveries, including a six over mid-wicket of the bowling of Shoaib Akhtar.
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The former Pakistan pacer opened up on facing Balaji in a conversation with Indian stand-up comedian Sorabh Pant on his podcast ‘Wake Up with Sorabh.’
“I remember that my toughest opponent. I used to feel threatened by this batsman SV Balaji. No not him, another Balaji, he was a bowler …. Lakshmipathy Balaji," Akhtar told Sorabh Pant.
“Wo mujhe maarta tha yaar aakhir me aa kar (He used to beat me). He used to hate me like anything. I was all over the place man I could not get him out," he recalled.
India won the Test and the ODI series against Pakistan in the 2004 tour under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly. Balaji had a phenomenal tour, scoring 45 runs out of which 35 runs came in boundaries. He also picked up 6 wickets at an economy of under 6. He was also the joint-second highest wicket-taker along with Irfan Pathan in the Test series.
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The former India pacer has often admitted in public interviews that the tour of 2004 was one of his greatest moments.
“To be honest, I was embarrassed because I was the most famous player on that tour. There were so many big names, who looked after me like elder brothers, they were always there for me, and that tour helped me to get recognition," he had said in a TNPL interview in 2016.
Balaji played 8 Tests, 30 ODIs and 5 T20Is for India between 2003 and 2012.
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