Pakistani opener registers unwanted milestone to his name

Pakistan’s Abdullah Shafique looks on after playing a shot during the 2023 Asia Cup. — AFP/fileKARACHI: Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique etched an unwanted record in cricket history, becoming the first opening batsman to be dismissed for a duck in all matches of a one-day international (ODI) series.Shafique’s lean patch continued in the three-match ODI series against South Africa, where he failed to score a single run in all three games.
With a duck in Johannesburg, the 24-year-old also achieved another milestone, recording the most international ducks by a Pakistani opener in a calendar year. In 2024, Shafique was dismissed for zero on seven occasions across 21 innings.This tally surpasses the previous records held by Imran Nazir, who had six ducks in 32 innings in 2000, and Mohammad Hafeez, who suffered the same fate six times in 43 innings in 2012.The world record for most international ducks in a calendar year by an opener is eight, held jointly by South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs (from 51 innings in 2002) and Sri Lankan maestro Tillakaratne Dilshan (from 56 innings in 2012).Shafique’s struggles with the bat have raised questions about his selection in Pakistan team ahead of the Green Shirt’s upcoming international assignments, which includes the ICC Champions Trophy at home.