Top 5 bowling performances in international cricket by Lakshmipathy Balaji

#2 4/63 vs Pakistan at Rawalpindi, 2004

Balaji’s 63/4 in the first innings restricted Pakistan to a modest total of 224

After beating Pakistan in the ODI series in their own backyard, India were looking to do the same in the Test series. Coming into the third and final Test at Rawalpindi, both teams were locked in a stalemate at 1-1 in the series.

Indian skipper, Sourav Ganguly, put in Pakistan to bat first and the Indian pacers, especially Balaji, put up a brilliant display and the hosts were soon tottering at 137/8.

However, Mohammad Sami and Fazl-e-Akbar staged a fightback of their own and took the Pakistan score past 200 before they were dismissed for 224. Balaji took a then career-best figures of 4/63 to help India restrict Pakistan to a modest total.

The Indian batting put up a mammoth score of 600 in their first innings, mainly thanks to Rahul Dravid’s 270, in addition to half-centuries from Parthiv Patel, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman. Pakistan were trailing by 376 runs and in the second innings, collapsed for 245, thus giving India their maiden series victory over Pakistan in Pakistan in both Tests and ODIs.

Balaji returned with figures of 108/3 in the second innings, but it was his figures of 63/4 in the first innings that kept Pakistan at bay and allowed India to take a huge lead over them.