Players who have registered the most ducks in ODI cricket

Some of the greatest cricket players in history have been dismissed for a duck several times in their careers. Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run-scorer in international cricket history, was removed for a duck 34 times across formats. Kumar Sangakkara, the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket, was dismissed for a duck 28 times. It is normal for anybody to have an off day, but the true mark of greatness is how players bounce back from these setbacks. 

Sanath Jayasuriya - 34 Ducks

Sanath Jayasuriya, the legendary Sri Lankan opener, had a prolific career spanning over two decades from 1989 to 2011. Known for his aggressive batting style, Jayasuriya accumulated 13,430 runs in 445 matches at an average of 32.36 and a strike rate of 91.20. He scored 28 centuries and 68 fifties, with a highest score of 189. Jayasuriya, however, also holds the record for the most ducks in ODIs - 34.
 

Sanath Jayasuriya//Getty

Shahid Afridi - 30 Ducks

Shahid Afridi, one of Pakistan’s all-time best allrounders, played 398 ODIs from 1996 to 2015. Afridi scored 8,064 runs at an average of 23.57 and a strike rate of 117.00. This tally includes six centuries and 39 fifties. However, Afridi’s aggressive batting approach also led to him being dismissed for a duck 30 times. 
 

Shahid Afridi//Getty

Wasim Akram - 28 Ducks

Wasim Akram, Pakistan's highest wicket-taker in the 50-over format, played 356 ODIs from 1984 to 2003, taking 502 wickets. With the bat down the order, he scored 3,717 runs at an average of 16.52, with a highest score of 86. Akram recorded 28 ducks in his ODI career, the third-most by any cricketer in the format. 

Mahela Jayawardene - 28 Ducks

Mahela Jayawardene, another Sri Lankan great, played 448 ODIs between 1998 and 2015. Jayawardene amassed 12,650 runs at an average of 33.37 with a strike rate of 78.96. He scored 19 centuries and 77 fifties, with a highest score of 144. However, he also found himself dismissed for a duck 28 times. His position in the middle order often saw him coming in during challenging situations.

Lasith Malinga - 26 Ducks

Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga played 226 ODIs from 2004 to 2019. Malinga was a prolific wicket-taker with 338 wickets to his name, but his batting was not as successful. In 119 innings, he scored 567 runs at an average of 6.83, with a highest score of 56. He recorded 26 ducks in his ODI career.  However, his contributions with the ball, especially in death overs, were invaluable to the Sri Lankan team.

Muttiah Muralidaran - 25 Ducks

Muttiah Muralidaran, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history, played 350 ODIs from 1993 to 2011, picking up 534 wickets, the highest in ODI history. Muralidaran was primarily a bowler, and thus it is unsurprising that with the bat, he managed only 674 runs at an average of 6.80. Muralidaran was dismissed for a duck 25 times in the 50-over format. 

Chaminda Vaas - 25 Ducks

Chaminda Vaas, another Sri Lankan bowler, played 322 ODIs between 1994 and 2008. Vaas was known for his swing bowling, taking 400 wickets in ODIs. With the bat, he scored 2,025 runs at an average of 13.68. He was dismissed for a duck 25 times in his career, often batting down the order. His primary role in the team was with the ball, and his contributions helped Sri Lanka achieve significant success during his career.

Chris Gayle - 25 Ducks

One of the most swashbuckling batsmen in the history of cricket, Chris Gayle played 301 ODIs from 1999 to 2019, scoring 10,480 runs at an average of 37.83 and a strike rate of 87.19. Gayle amassed 25 centuries and 54 fifties in the format. But on another note, he was dismissed for a duck 25 times. His aggressive style often led to high-risk shots early in his innings, resulting in a large number of ducks. 

Chris Gayle//Getty

Romesh Kaluwitharana - 24 Ducks

Romesh Kaluwitharana, the diminutive Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batsman, played 189 ODIs from 1990 to 2004. Kaluwitharana scored 3,711 runs at an average of 22.22, with a highest score of 102*. He recorded 24 ducks in his career, often falling early in the innings while attempting aggressive shots.