After we talked about the most expensive overs in ODI cricket and T20I cricket, it is now time to talk about the most expensive overs in the longest format of the game and generally we do not see big overs in test cricket but there are a few instances where the batters have gone after a bowler in an over and the bowler gives away too many runs. There has not been a 36 run over in test cricket but hopefully that will change too.
The batters who have hit the biggest overs in Test cricket are some of the best ever and they knew when to take advantage of a bowler and get the maximum runs for their teams. The bowlers tried their best to be economical but the batters were too good to leave out on scoring opportunities. So, let’s see the most expensive overs in test cricket history.
28 Runs – South Africa vs West Indies (2003)
Brian Lara was at his imperious best in this over from Robin Pieterson from South Africa, it was the last over of the third day of this test match and Graeme Smith took a gamble and the result was a terrible one for South Africa. Brian Lara started the over by hitting a well timed four and then in the next two balls he smashed huge sixes to up the ante and finally in the last three balls of the over Lara again hit 3 crisp fours to make it a 28 run over and this helped him reach his double hundred.
28 Runs- South Africa vs England (2019-20)
This is also a 28 run over and it came from the bat of Keshav Maharaj and the bowler was the England captain Joe Root who got took to the cleaners by Keshav. In the first three balls of the over Maharaj hit three back to back fours and then in the next two balls he hit huge sixes to add to the misery of Joe Root and then in the last nall of the over he gave away 4 byes which made it a 28 run over and one to forget for Joe Root.
28 Runs- Australia vs England (2013)
This was one of the most legendary overs in test cricket as George Bailey did what no one thought would ever happen to James Anderson in his career as he got smashed all around the ground in Perth for a monster 28 run over. In the first two balls of the over George Bailey smacked 2 sixes and then the next two balls went for 2 runs each but in the last two balls of the over yet again George Bailey hit James Anderson out of the ground for 2 big sixes.
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27 Runs- India vs Pakistan (2006)
Shahid Afridi is one of the most destructive batters to ever play the game of cricket and he has proved that on his day he can destroy anyone and on this day it was Harbhajan Singh who got the treatment. In the first four balls of this over Afridi decimated Bhajji with 4 consecutive sixes and in the final two balls of the over he scored 2 and 1 each thus making it a 27 run over.
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26 Runs- New Zealand vs Pakistan (2001)
This was a match that was dominated by New Zealand and it was Craig McMillan who absolutely destroyed Younis Khan on this day in 2001. New Zealand needed quick runs and Younis Khan provided the perfect opportunity. Craig hit 4 fours on the trot and then he smashed Younis for a monster six and finally on the last ball of the over he hit another four to make it a 26 run over for New Zealand.
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