Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique‘s struggles persisted in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa. In the third and final match, he was dismissed for a duck on the first ball he faced from Kagiso Rabada.
This failure added to his earlier scores of 0 (4) and 0 (2) in the first two ODIs. With scores of 0 in all three matches, Shafique has made an unwanted record, becoming the first opening batter in ODI history to go without scoring in a three-match bilateral series.
Additionally, he now holds the record for the most ducks by a Pakistan opener in a calendar year, with seven ducks from 21 innings. Prior to this, Imran Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez had registered six ducks in a calendar year.
Imran Nazir recorded six ducks in 32 innings in 2000, while Mohammad Hafeez also registered the same number in 43 innings in 2012. Abdullah Shafique has now surpassed both cricketers, claiming the unwanted record for himself.
Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa and Sri Lanka’s Tillakaratne Dilshan hold the world record for the most ducks in a calendar year, each having eight in 2002 and 2012, respectively.
Abdullah Shafique Struggles as Pakistan Sweeps South Africa
Opener Abdullah Shafique’s position in the ODI team is now under threat after he failed to score a run in the three-match series. His poor performance is a concern that Pakistan will need to address.
On the whole, the series proved highly successful for Pakistan, as they secured a 3-0 whitewash. The first ODI, held in Paarl, saw the visitors win by three wickets, taking an early lead.
They continued their strong form in the second game in Cape Town, winning by 81 runs to seal the series with a match still to play. Despite already clinching the series, Pakistan remained focused and won the final ODI in Johannesburg to complete the 3-0 sweep.
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