The top five players with the most ducks in ODI history highlight cricket’s unpredictability, illustrating how even the most skilled athletes can experience unexpected failures at the crease. This list reflects the challenging nature of the sport, where vulnerability is an inherent part of competition.
5. Lasith Malinga (26 Ducks)
Lasith Malinga, renowned for his unique bowling action and three ODI hat-tricks, also holds an unfortunate record with 26 ducks in ODIs. Despite his brilliance as a bowler, this places him fifth on the list for most ducks in ODI history.
4. Mahela Jayawardene (28 Ducks)
Former Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene, known for his outstanding batting career, holds the record for the second-most ducks by a Sri Lankan in ODIs, with 28 ducks in 448 matches. Despite this, he scored over 12,500 runs, showcasing his overall brilliance.
3. Wasim Akram (28 Ducks)
Wasim Akram, renowned as the “Swing King,” holds the unwanted record of 28 ducks in ODIs. Despite this, his all-round abilities were evident, as he accumulated 3,717 runs in 356 matches while excelling with the ball.
2. Shahid Afridi (30 Ducks)
Shahid Afridi, a celebrated Pakistan all-rounder, had an impressive career with 8,064 ODI runs across 398 matches. However, despite his explosive batting, Afridi was dismissed for a duck 30 times, marking one of the highest duck records in ODI history.
1. Sanath Jayasuriya (34 Ducks)
Sanath Jayasuriya, Sri Lanka’s explosive left-handed all-rounder, holds the record for the most ducks in ODI history. Despite scoring 13,430 runs in 445 matches, he was dismissed for a duck 34 times, showcasing the unpredictability of his otherwise remarkable batting career.
| Rank | Name | Ducks | Matches | Runs |
| 1 | Sanath Jayasuriya | 34 | 445 | 13430 |
| 2 | Shahid Afridi | 30 | 398 | 8064 |
| 3 | Wasim Akram | 28 | 356 | 3717 |
| 4 | Mahela Jayawardene | 28 | 448 | 12650 |
| 5 | Lasith Malinga | 26 | 226 | 567 |
