"He Was A Bowler..." - Shoaib Akhtar Reveals His Toughest Opponent In International Cricket
Published - 11 Sep 2023, 06:08 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:18 AM
Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar recently made a surprising revelation when asked about the toughest batter he had faced in international cricket. Shoaib Akhtar admitted that he had encountered difficulty dismissing former Indian pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji.
The encounter between Shoaib Akhtar and Lakshmipathy Balaji during India’s victorious tour of Pakistan in 2004 remains a memorable chapter in the history of the game. Balaji scored 10 runs not out from six deliveries, including a six off Shoaib Akhtar’s bowling.
I Could Not Get Him Out – Shoaib Akhtar
In a conversation on the podcast ‘Wake Up with Sorabh,’ Shoaib Akhtar revealed that he found Lakshmipathy Balaji to be his toughest opponent in international cricket. Akhtar recalled that Balaji used to excel against him, while other batters struggled to score against him.
“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.
During India’s 2004 tour of Pakistan, India emerged victorious in both the Test and ODI series. Lakshmipathy Balaji had an outstanding tour, contributing 45 runs, including 35 runs from boundaries, and taking six wickets. He was the joint-second-highest wicket-taker in the Test series.
I Was The Most Famous Player On That Tour – Lakshmipathy Balaji
In public interviews, Lakshmipathy Balaji has frequently acknowledged that the 2004 tour was one of his most significant moments. He expressed gratitude for the support he received from senior players during the tour and noted that it helped him gain recognition in the cricketing world.
“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.
Lakshmipathy Balaji represented the Indian team in 8 Tests, 30 ODIs, and 5 T20Is during his international career, picking up 27, 34, and 10 wickets in the three formats, respectively. He also worked with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) as a bowling coach in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
