Scoring runs as an opener is one of the most challenging tasks in cricket. Openers face the dual burden of playing the swinging new ball while making sure that the scoring rate is not hampered. Yet, even the best batters, occasionally succumb to fall without scoring.
Scoring a duck is an unwanted record for any batter in any format of the game. Meanwhile, legendary cricketers like Sanath Jayasuriya and Martin Guptill have had their fair share of such unfortunate outings. Jayasuriya, the former Sri Lankan opener, holds the record for the most ducks (29) by an opener in ODI cricket. Across formats, he registered 34 ducks, including eight golden ducks as an opener.
Notably, Kennedy Otieno from Kenya leads among associate teams, with 12 ducks as an opener in 84 innings. Players like Guptill (7) and Aaron Finch (6) have experienced multiple first-ball ducks. Litton Das and Ramiz Raja have each recorded five first-ball ducks as openers. Interestingly, with 38 ducks, star Indian batter Virat Kohli is the only active batter in the list of top five Indians with the most zeros in international cricket.
Here’s the list of openers with most ducks in a calendar year
Dion Ebrahim, Upul Tharanga, Chris Gayle, & Abdullah Shafique (7 Ducks):
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Zimbabwean cricketer Dion Ebrahim achieved an unwanted record in 2001, as the right-handed batter registered seven ducks across 29 innings as an opener in international cricket. Ebrahim’s forgettable performances included ducks in Tests against India, West Indies, South Africa, and Bangladesh, as well as in ODIs against South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. Across his career, Ebrahim recorded 16 ducks in 62 international innings.
Former Sri Lankan opener Upul Tharanga made history in 2006 by recording seven ducks in international cricket across 48 innings. Interestingly, he bagged two ducks in a single Test against England at Birmingham and another golden duck in a T20I against New Zealand in Auckland. In his entire career, the southpaw has walked back to the change room without scoring a run, 18 times as an opener across 255 innings.
Legendary West Indian opener, Chris Gayle, faced a rare slump in form in 2008, registering seven ducks in international cricket that year. Across 24 innings, the “Universe Boss” failed to score against New Zealand in Queenstown, India twice in Kingston (ODI and Test), Australia in Kuala Lumpur, Sri Lanka at Brabourne, and Pakistan in Faisalabad. In his career, he registered 44 ducks in 506 international innings as an opener.
Pakistan’s opening batter Abdullah Shafique recently became a new addition to this list as he suffered his seventh duck in 2024. This dismal feat came across 14 innings in international cricket, including three consecutive blows in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa. Shafique’s struggles were evident during the December series. The year 2024 saw Shafique dismissed for zero in matches against Australia, Bangladesh, England, and South Africa, with 14 ducks in just 63 international innings.
Herschelle Gibbs (8 Ducks):
Herschelle Gibbs recorded this unusual feat in 2002 by suffering eight ducks in international cricket across 51 innings. Despite being a celebrated South African opener, his ducks in 2002 came against tough opponents. He was dismissed for naught against New Zealand in Brisbane, followed by two ducks against Australia in Sydney and Johannesburg. Further setbacks came against Pakistan in Tangier, Durban, and Cape Town, as well as Sri Lanka in Johannesburg and Benoni. As an opener in 310 innings, Gibbs managed 37 ducks.
TM Dilshan (8 Ducks):
Sri Lankan batting great Tillakaratne Dilshan, who was known for his “Dilscoop,” registered the joint-most ducks in a single calendar year with eight ducks. This streak began in an ODI against South Africa in Paarl and continued in East London. His poor form was evident in the longest format of the game, with a duck against England in Galle and against Australia in Melbourne. Over his illustrious career as an opener, Dilshan had 35 ducks across 295 international innings.
