In cricket, there’s little that unsettles a batsman more than being dismissed for a duck, failing to notch up any runs. However, the pinnacle of dismay comes with the ignominy of a golden duck – being out on the first delivery without contributing to the scoreboard.
When a bowler manages to send a batsman back to the pavilion without them scoring a run in a cricket innings, it’s labeled as a duck. More specifically, a “golden duck” is when a batsman is dismissed on the very first ball without adding any runs.
The unwanted record for the most golden ducks in ODIs belongs to former Sri Lankan pace sensation Lasith Malinga, who faced the ordeal of being dismissed 13 times without scoring a run while representing Sri Lanka.
Also Read: Top 10 Players with Most Run Outs in ODI
In this article, let’s delve into the top 10 batsmen who hold the unfortunate distinction of experiencing the most golden ducks in ODI cricket.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Most Golden Ducks in ODI
| PLAYER | INNINGS | GOLDEN DUCKS |
|---|---|---|
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 280 | 10 |
| Waqar Younis (PAK) | 139 | 7 |
| Shahid Afridi (PAK) | 369 | 12 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | 433 | 9 |
| Ricky Ponting (AUS) | 365 | 7 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | 162 | 9 |
| Moin Khan (PAK) | 183 | 10 |
| Lasith Malinga (SL) | 119 | 13 |
| Javagal Srinath (IND) | 121 | 8 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 220 | 8 |
Insights:
Lasith Malinga, the former Sri Lankan pace maestro, holds the notorious record for the highest count of first-ball dismissals (golden ducks) in ODI cricket. Among Malinga’s 26 ducks in ODIs, 13 were golden ducks.
Suryakumar Yadav, the versatile Indian batsman, made history as the first Indian player to endure three consecutive golden ducks in ODI cricket. This occurred during a 3-match ODI series against Australia in March 2023. Back in 1994, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also faced the adversity of three successive ducks, although they weren’t on the opening delivery.
Also Read:Most Runs In ODI World Cup 2023
More than ten batsmen have encountered the humiliation of being dismissed for golden ducks in three consecutive ODIs. Apart from Suryakumar, prominent players like Shane Watson, Alec Stewart, Andrew Symonds, and Brett Lee have grappled with this unwelcome distinction.
A staggering count of over 20 players has fallen victim to seven or more first-ball ducks in the 50-over format, highlighting the challenging nature of cricket’s initial moments for these batsmen.
