Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique etched an unfortunate record in cricket history, becoming the first opening batter to be dismissed for a duck in all matches of a one-day international (ODI) series. Shafique’s third consecutive duck came in Pakistan’s emphatic 36-run victory over South Africa in the final ODI at Wanderers Stadium, Sandton, on Sunday, where Pakistan secured a historic 3-0 series whitewash.
Abdullah Shafique in the ODI series against South Africa:
— Abdullah. (@SQAbdullah19) December 22, 2024
First ODI – 0(4)
Second ODI – 0(2)
Third ODI – 0(1)
All ducks pic.twitter.com/cqPqcnDW6j
The match, delayed due to rain and reduced to 47 overs per side, saw Pakistan post a challenging target of 309 runs. Opener Saim Ayub was the star with the bat, scoring a brilliant 101 off 94 balls. Ayub’s innings, coupled with contributions from Babar Azam (52 off 71 balls) and Mohammad Rizwan (53 off 52 balls), helped Pakistan reach 308/9. Salman Ali Agha added a quickfire 48 off 32 balls, ensuring Pakistan capitalized on the strong platform set by Ayub.
Despite early setbacks, including a golden duck by Kamran Ghulam and another failure from Shafique, the team managed to recover and build a defendable total. Kagiso Rabada was the pick of South Africa’s bowlers, taking 3/56 in his 10-over spell, while Bjorn Fortuin and Marco Jansen claimed two wickets each.
In response, South Africa fought valiantly but were bowled out for 271 runs in 47 overs. Heinrich Klaasen led the fightback with a blistering 81 off 43 balls, while debutant Corbin Bosch contributed a resilient 40. However, Pakistan’s bowlers ensured the Proteas fell short.
Young spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was the standout performer with the ball, claiming 4/48, while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah chipped in with two wickets each. Saim Ayub, in addition to his century, impressed with his economical 10-over spell, conceding just 34 runs and taking a wicket.
Shafique’s string of ducks in the series is a record-breaking low point. His third consecutive duck not only marked him as the first opener to fail in all matches of an ODI series but also set a dubious personal milestone. With seven ducks in 21 international innings this year, Shafique now holds the record for the most ducks by a Pakistani opener in a calendar year, surpassing Imran Nazir and Mohammad Hafeez.
Globally, the record for most international ducks in a calendar year by an opener is eight, held jointly by Herschelle Gibbs (2002) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (2012), putting Shafique just one shy of equaling this unenviable feat.