SK Flashback: India win maiden ODI series on Pakistan soil in 2004

#5 Eventful last over

Shoaib Akhtar’s pace was too much for Balaji’s bat to handle

The last over by Shoaib Akhtar to Laxmipathy Balaji had everything to keep the audience on the edge of their seats. Akhtar isn’t a dibbly-dobbly bowler by any stretch of the imagination and spanking his deliveries isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.

However, Balaji, despite being a tail-ender, showed that it’s pretty easy to hit 150 kmph thunderbolts for maximums. Akhtar speared in a pacey full-length delivery, which was muscled over long-on over a leaping Yousuf Youhana (now Mohammad Yousuf).

The next delivery saw Balaji’s bat being demolished into two pieces by the Rawalpindi Express’ full toss on middle and leg.

At the end of 50 overs, India managed to reach 293 for the loss of seven wickets.