Pakistan opener Abdullah Shafique’s struggles continued in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa. In the third and final match, the right-hander endured another setback, dismissed for a golden duck by KagisoRabada on the very first delivery he faced.
This marked a series to forget for Shafique, who failed to score a single run across all three matches. His scores of 0 (4), 0 (2), and 0 (1) set an unfortunate record as the first opening batter in ODI history to go runless in a three-match bilateral series.
Additionally, Shafique now holds an unwanted distinction as the Pakistan opener with the most ducks in a calendar year. Entering the series with four ducks, his tally has now climbed to seven from 21 innings in 2023. He surpassed former cricketers Imran Nazir (six ducks in 32 innings, 2000) and Mohammad Hafeez (six ducks in 43 innings, 2012) to claim this dubious record.
Globally, only Herschelle Gibbs (2002) and TillakaratneDilshan (2012) have recorded more ducks in a calendar year, with eight each.
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Shafique’s position in the ODI squad is now under scrutiny, with his repeated failures raising concerns for Pakistan’s selectors. Despite his struggles, the series was overwhelmingly positive for Pakistan, who claimed a commanding 3-0 whitewash.
The visitors secured a narrow three-wicket win in the first ODI in Paarl, followed by an emphatic 81-run victory in Cape Town to clinch the series with a game to spare. In the final ODI in Johannesburg, Pakistan maintained their dominance, sealing the series sweep with a confident all-round performance.
