Every single ball in T20I cricket is crucial because a single run could be the difference between a win and a loss in the shortest format of the game. To get going from the first ball, a batsman will either look for a gap in the field or try to hoick it for a boundary; that could, though, also result in a wicket on the first ball itself.
Debuts are special for any player. And even if you get out for a duck, you’ll always remember it since it was in your debut game. Well, it is no surprise that as many as 196 men’s batsmen have bagged a duck on their T20I debuts!
Here are the 5 renowned batters who were dismissed for a duck on their T20I debut:
MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni was part of India’s first-ever T20I, in 2006 vs South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium; India was led by Virender Sehwag when Rahul Dravid was injured. Batting at number 4, in a run chase of 127, Dhoni was dismissed for 0 off 2 balls by seamer Charl Langeveldt. Incidentally, Dhoni had also bagged a duck on his ODI debut in 2004 vs Bangladesh. India, though, won the match courtesy of a calm finish by Dinesh Karthik.
Dhoni didn’t look back at that dismissal though – he was named India’s captain for the 2007 T20 World Cup and took the team to glory.
Prithvi Shaw
Young Indian sensation Prithvi Shaw made his T20I debut in 2021, in Colombo versus hosts Sri Lanka. But, the opener was handed a golden duck on his debut by speedster Dushmantha Chameera, edging behind to the wicket-keeper. Shaw has not played another T20I yet for India.
Michael Vaughan
Former England captain Michael Vaughan played two T20Is in his career, both matches separated apart two years. He made his T20I debut in 2005 and played the next one in 2007.
On his debut against Australia in Southampton, Vaughan, the then England captain, managed a golden duck, dismissed by Andrew Symonds and caught by Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting. However, England went on to win the game by 100 runs.
Mahela Jayawardene
Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene made his T20I debut in 2006 against England at the Rose Bowl. Jayawardene was the skipper in that game, but he failed to get off the mark after getting mixed up while running between the wickets with Sanath Jayasuriya and eventually got run-out having faced just one delivery. Jayawardene did end his T20I career on a high, helping Sri Lanka win the 2014 T20 World Cup.
KL Rahul
One of the best T20 batsmen in the world currently, KL Rahul had a poor start to his T20I career, in 2016 vs Zimbabwe in Harare as bagged a golden duck, with fast bowler Donald Tiripano castling him on the first ball of India’s innings. However, the opener has managed to carve out a successful career after a horrific start.
