Pakistan’s young batting talent, Saim Ayub, has unfortunately etched his name into the record books for an unwanted reason. During the third T20I against South Africa in Lahore, Ayub was dismissed for a duck, marking his seventh such failure in the calendar year 2025. This latest ‘golden duck’ surpasses the previous record for the most ducks by a player in a single calendar year, a feat previously held by Zimbabwe’s Richard Ngarava with six ducks in 2024.
Ayub’s season has been characterized by stark contrasts. While he has shown glimpses of his immense potential, notably with a match-winning unbeaten 71 off 38 balls in the second T20I that secured a nine-wicket victory for Pakistan, his overall consistency remains a significant concern. The third T20I saw him depart early, contributing to Pakistan’s shaky start at 8/1 in their pursuit of 140.
The list of players with the most ducks in a calendar year now features Ayub at the top. Other notable names include Richard Ngarava, Regis Chakabva, Blessing Muzarabani, Sanju Samson, Hasan Nawaz, and Parvez Emon, highlighting a trend of players experiencing prolonged periods of low scores. Ayub’s earlier performances in the Asia Cup also underscored this inconsistency, with three consecutive ducks against Oman, India, and the UAE, followed by another against Bangladesh.