England pacer Stuart Broad holds the record of bowling the most expensive over in Test cricket.
Broad conceded 35 runs off an over during England’s rescheduled fifth Test against India at the Edgbaston in Birmingham, in 2022.
Batting at number 10, India’s stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah smashed 29 runs off Broad’s over, courtesy of four fours and two sixes. During that expensive over, Broad also conceded five wides, a no-ball and a single on the last ball as he gave away the most runs off an over in Test cricket.
Broad started the over by conceding a four as tailender Bumrah top-edged a short-pitched delivery towards fine leg. On the second delivery, the England fast bowler bowled a bouncer but it was too high as wicket-keeper Sam Billings failed to collect the ball and ended up conceding five wides.
Under pressure Broad then conceded a six off a no-ball as Bumrah managed to top-edge it over the keeper as it sailed over the boundary.
Things went from bad to worse as Bumrah hammered Broad for three consecutive fours in the next three balls. After Bumrah smashed a juicy full toss towards mid-on for a boundary and later inside-edged a four to fine leg, he followed it up by clobbering a length across the fence.
Bumrah later smashed a six over long-leg and then took a quick single as Broad ended up bowling the most expensive over in Test cricket.
Interestingly, Broad also holds the record of bowling the joint-most expensive over in T20I cricket.
India’s Yuvraj Singh had smashed six sixes off an over during an ICC T20 World Cup encounter in Durban in 2007.
Broad shares the record of bowling the most expensive over in T20I along with Sri Lanka’s Akila Dhananjaya, who was also hammered for six sixes off an over by West Indies’ Kieron Pollard in 2021.
Meanwhile, Bumrah also broke the record of West Indies legend Brian Lara for scoring the most runs off an over in Test cricket. Lara had smashed South Africa’s Robin Peterson for 28 runs in 2003, which was also the most expensive over in Test cricket before Bumrah’s heroics.
Previously, Australia’s George Bailey and Keshav Maharaj have also hit 28 runs off an over in Tests.
While Bailey hammered England fast bowler James Anderson for 28 runs, Maharaj smashed the same tally off England’s Joe Root.
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also features in the list of most expensive overs in Test cricket.
Pakistan swashbuckling batter Shahid Afridi smashed 27 runs off Harbhajan’s over during a Test match in Lahore in 2006.
Harbhajan conceded 27 off an over as Afridi clobbered four consecutive sixes and followed it up with a double and a single.
Most expensive over in Test cricket
| Bowler | Batter | Runs conceded | Over | Venue | Year |
| Stuart Broad (England) |
Jasprit Bumrah (India) |
35 | 4w4nb644461 | Birmingham | 2022 |
| Robin Peterson (South Africa) | Brian Lara (West Indies) | 28 | 466444 | Johannesburg | 2003 |
| James Anderson (England) | George Bailey (Australia) | 28 | 462466 | Perth | 2013 |
| Joe Root (England) | Keshav Maharaj (South Africa) | 28 | 44466b4 | Port Elizabeth | 2020 |
| Harbhajan Singh (India) | Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) | 27 | 666621 | Lahore | 2006 |
| Younis Khan (Pakistan) | Craig McMillan (New Zealand) | 26 | 444464 | Hamilton | 2001 |
| Danish Kaneria (Pakistan) | Brian Lara (West Indies) | 26 | 406664 | Multan | 2006 |
| Paul Harris (South Africa) | Mitchell Johnson (Australia) | 26 | 446066 | Johannesburg | 2009 |
| Suranga Lakmal (Sri Lanka) | Brendon McCullum (New Zealand) | 26 | 466046 | Christchurch | 2014 |
| Malinda Pushpakumara (Sri Lanka) | Hardik Pandya (India) | 26 | 446660 | Pallekele | 2017 |
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Featured photo: Lindsey Parnaby / AFP
