Most ducks in T20I cricket
The shortest format of the game has given batters the license to adopt an ultra-attacking approach against the bowlers without thinking about the consequences. While the approach often deters the bowlers in their mark, it backfires too on a few occasions. Here is a glance over the list of players who have been dismissed for a duck most times in T20Is.
Luke Wright (England), Moeen Ali (England), Andre Russell (West Indies), Richie Berrington (Scotland), and Paul Stirling (Ireland) – 9 times
Luke Wright played for the England national team in a number of positions and tried different roles but never succeeded to any great extent for the national side. The all-rounder was mostly used as an opening batter in T20Is, and in his 51 matches, he was dismissed for a duck on nine occasions.
Moeen Ali is one of the most dangerous pinch hitters in the game. The all-rounder has been given the license to swing from ball one, and it has worked wonders for the team despite him totalling nine ducks in 55 matches.
Andre Russell is an absolute brute of a batter and can turn the game for his side in a handful of deliveries. But his reckless approach has also seen him dismissed without scoring in nine instances.
Scotland’s Richie Berrington registered a heroic century in 2012 against Bangladesh to hand their first victory against an ICC Full Member. One of the most prolific T20I batters from the country has succumbed to nine ducks in his international T20 career.
Ireland’s Paul Stirling is one of the most destructive opening batters in T20Is and is the fifth leading run scorer in the format. The diminutive right-hander has often been the hero for his team, but his overzealous approach has seen him depart without opening his account on nine occasions.
Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Soumya Sarkar (Bangladesh), Umar Akmal (Pakistan) – – 10 times
Tillakaratne Dilshan was a menace at the top of the order, especially in the powerplay against the new ball bowlers. But the batter was often guilty of his over-enthusiastic approach and was dismissed for ten ducks in his 79 innings for Sri Lanka.
Soumya Sarkar of Bangladesh has been often criticized for his lack of application at the crease in the early part of the innings. The elegant batter has represented Bangladesh in 66 matches and has succumbed to ten ducks during that time.
Umar Akmal is one of those cricketers who divided opinions whenever they took the field. Although his talent was there for everyone to see, he often lacked the temperament to cement his place in the Pakistani batting order.
Kevin O’Brien (Ireland) – 14 ducks
Kevin O’Brien, is one of the most destructive batters in the format. The strongly built all-rounder took the world by storm by registering the fastest century in ODI World Cup in 2021, reaching the three-figure mark in just 50 deliveries against England. He often played the role of a finisher for the national side and was sent to attack the opposition bowlers from the get-go, which is one of the primary reasons for him being at the top of this list, failing to open his account on 14 instances.
