Bizarre! Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique Creates Embarrassing Record In ODI Series vs South Africa

Bizarre! Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique Creates Embarrassing Record In ODI Series vs South Africa Photo : AP

Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique on Sunday, December 22 created history by becoming the first batter from the country to register ducks in all games of a three-match ODI series in South Africa. His third duck in Johannesburg established him as the Pakistan opener with the highest number of ducks in a year, recording seven ducks in 21 matches this year.

Shafique has exceeded the previous records of compatriot Imran Nazir , who had six ducks in 32 games in 2000 and Mohammad Hafeez, who also had six ducks in 43 games in 2012.

The worldwide record for most ducks in a year is eight, owned by former South Africa cricketer Herschelle Gibbs (51 matches in 2002) and Sri Lanka's Tillakratne Dilshan (56 innings in 2012). Dilshan's compatriot Sanath Jayasuriya holds the record for scoring the most ducks in ODIs, at 34 from 433 matches. Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar scored 20 ducks from 452 matches.

Meanwhile, Shafique's dismal record didn't bother his team as Pakistan completed a 3-0 sweep of its ODI series against South Africa, winning the third game by 36 runs under the DLS method on Sunday.

Opener Saim Ayub smacked 101 runs in 94 deliveries as Pakistan scored 308/9 at the Wanderers in a game reduced to 47 overs by rain. South Africa was all out for 271 in 42 overs in pursuit of a winning target of 308.

Pakistan batted first after losing the toss and was 1/1 when it lost Shafique in the first over. In the first match of the series, he was dismissed for a four-ball duck by Marco Jansen, for a two-ball duck in the second match by the same bowler and for a golden duck in the third match by Kagiso Rabada.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Ayub, who scored 109 in the first ODI, was caught behind against debutant Corbin Bosch. Ayub smacked two sixes and a whopping 13 boundaries. Middle-order batter Salman Agha padded the total with a 33-ball 48.

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