Abhishek Sharma, the explosive India opener, etched his name into an unwanted record book after his ordinary knock in the second and final T20I against Ireland at Civil Service Cricket Club, Belfast on Sunday, June 29.
Chasing a modest target of 155 to level the two-match series, India’s innings started in catastrophic fashion as Ireland’s pacer Jai Moondra struck gold on the first two balls of the innings, dismissing both openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma for golden ducks. The dismissal marked Sharma’s sixth T20I duck of 2026, putting him in a rather unenviable company alongside Pakistan’s Saim Ayub.
Most Ducks In A Calendar Year
Abhishek Sharma’s latest failure has pushed him straight into the historic charts for the most T20I ducks in a single calendar year among Full Member nations. Abhishek currently sits just one step behind Pakistan opener Saim Ayub, who holds the record after registering seven ducks in 2025.
Batter Team Ducks in a Calendar Year Year
Saim Ayub Pakistan 7 2025
Abhishek Sharma India 6 2026
Richard Ngarava Zimbabwe 6 2024
Across all T20 cricket (including the IPL) in 2026, Abhishek’s tally stands at a staggering nine ducks, having previously overtaken Rohit Sharma’s Indian record of six competitive T20 ducks in a single year.
A Historic Nightmare In Belfast
The double-duck disaster at the hands of Jai Moondra wasn’t just a personal failure for the openers; it was a rare statistical anomaly. This became only the second instance in T20I history involving Full Member nations where both opening batters were dismissed for first-ball ducks in the same innings.
The only other time this happened was in 2018 when Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal and Soumya Sarkar fell for golden ducks against the West Indies.
Both opening batters dismissed for first ball ducks in a T20I innings (FM teams)
- Tamim & Soumya vs WI Basseterre 2018
- Samson & Abhishek vs Ire Belfast 2026
Additionally, it was only the third time India saw both openers go back to the pavilion without altering the scoreboard, joining the infamous company of Rohit-Rahane and Gill-Jaiswal.
Both India opening batters dismissed for ducks in a T20I innings
- Rohit & Rahane vs Pak Mirpur 2016
- Gill & Jaiswal vs SA Gqeberha 2023
- Samson & Abhishek vs Ire Belfast 2026
Notably, 2026 has been a year of extremes for the 25-year-old. After enduring a difficult T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year, Abhishek has produced flashes of brilliance, scoring at a strike rate of over 200. However, his unwavering commitment to attacking from the very first ball has also left him vulnerable.
