Today’s top-notch cricket action is being enjoyed by cricket fans thanks to the ODI World Cup 2023, which isn’t compromising on providing exciting matches. At the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, the competition’s hosts, India, played their first match versus Australia after four games. Australia’s skipper Pat Cummins chose to bat first after winning the toss in their opening game.
Indian top pacer Jasprit Bumrah removed dangerous Australian opener Mitchell Marsh for a six-ball duck after India lost the toss and decided to bowl first. In Marsh’s World Cup career, returning to the pavilion without scoring any runs happened twice. It was the first time he lost his wicket as an opener due to a duck. Additionally, Ishan Kishan was the first Indian opener to be dismissed for a duck during the Indian innings, making history in the process.
It doesn’t happen often that either both or any of the opening batters get out without posing any sort of scoring threat, as clubs prefer their openers to get out to a strong start and put the opponent under pressure. The ‘most Ducks’ club in the history of the ODI World Cup now includes the names of some noteworthy players. In the same line, it’s time to identify the World Cup openers who have amassed the most ducks overall.
ODI World Cup openers with most ducks:
5. Fakhar Zaman (PAK)- 2 Ducks:
Fakhar Zaman has been playing for Pakistan since 2017, and he is once again a member of the 2023 ODI World Cup team for Pakistan. Pakistan’s round-robin campaign at the 2019 World Cup came to an end with just five victories and three defeats in nine games. Zaman’s bat performance wasn’t up to par, as he managed only 186 runs at an average of 23.25 in eight games.
The southpaw twice got out on a duck in the competition. Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq wanted to get off to a steady start because Pakistan was chasing 308 in the crucial match against Australia at the County Ground. However, Zaman lost his wicket on a zero against Pat Cummins because he couldn’t control his anxiety.
In the crucial match against Afghanistan in Headingley, the player from Mardan once again fell short of expectations. Zaman’s nerves were allayed when he was dismissed for another duck, even though Pakistan won the game by three wickets after chasing down 228 in the final over of the game.
4. Tamim Iqbal (BAN)- 3 Ducks:
Tamim Iqbal, the opening batsman for Bangladesh, has three ducks to his name in ODI World Cup play. He was out twice on a nought in the 2011 World Cup. He was dismissed on a zero against the West Indies in Mirpur for the first time. Bangladesh’s humiliating nine-wicket defeat against the Caribbeans in this match is well-known.
Tamim lost the game as well, throwing his wicket on the third delivery. Tamim once more failed to score against the Netherlands at Chattogram following the match against the Windies team. This time, as his team was chasing 161 runs, he fell on the fourth delivery of the game.
At the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), where Bangladesh and Sri Lanka squared off in the 2015 World Cup, the latter set Bangladesh a 333-point aim. Tamim gave up on a zero in front of Laith Malinga on the second delivery of the innings while trying to reach the enormous goal.
3. William Porterfield (IRE)- 3 Ducks:
William Porterfield, a former captain of Ireland, participated in three World Cups between 2007 and 2015, during which time he also amassed three ducks. He faced six balls in his opening World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Kingston in 2007, walking back to the pavilion on zero. Cricket fans kept thinking about the match because it was a stalemate after a lot of struggle on both sides.
The Irish starting pitcher once again performed poorly in Kingston against the West Indies guests. Daren Powell was given the wicket by the left-handed batter on a nought. Porterfield led the Irish squad in the 2011 World Cup when they defeated England in Bengaluru by chasing down a target of 328.
The remarkable hit of 113 off 63 by Kevin O’Brien will live on in the memory of the game. Porterfield, the captain, had lost his wicket to James Anderson on the opening delivery of the innings in the same game due to pressure.
2. Kris Srikkanth (IND)- 4 Ducks:
Kris Srikkanth played in India’s World Cup-winning team in 1983. He participated in eight games and scored 156 runs to help the squad win the championship. He was not one of the runners in the group round. India defeated Zimbabwe by 31 runs in the competition’s 20th match, which took place in Tunbridge Wells.
India was under pressure in this game as they lost five batsmen for a score of 17. Sunil Gavaskar, Srikkanth’s opening partner, and they both lost their wickets on nought. The team’s captain, Kapil Dev, handled the crisis superbly, scoring 175 points out of 138 possible, leading his side to victory.
In the 1992 World Cup, Srikkanth appeared to be fully colourblind. The veteran only managed 117 runs in eight games, a poor 16.71 average. He didn’t score a single run against top teams like Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa. He was the Indian batter in the World Cup with the most ducks due to his poor performance in the contest.
1. Nathan Astle (NZ)- 5 Ducks:
One of the best openers in cricket history was Nathan Astle. From 1995 to 2007, the star right-handed batter represented New Zealand for 12 years. He is the fourth-highest run scorer in ODIs with 7090 runs, 16 tonnes, and 41 fifties in 217 innings across 223 games.
However, his World Cup performance has been average. He has only amassed 403 runs in 22 games during the competition, including two centuries and a fifty. Along with Pakistan’s Ijaz Ahmed, he is the World Cup batter with the most ducks. Astle made his World Cup debut in 1996 by scoring a century in Ahmedabad’s match against England.
He was ejected on a duck in the following game against the Netherlands, and after that, he failed to reach double figures once more in the competition. When Astle made his final appearance in the World Cup in 2003, he amassed three ducks during the campaign.
So, this was all about the ODI World Cup most ducks openers. Also read, Aakash Chopra accuses the Indian team of hiding Gill’s fitness.
