LisIPL Players With Most Ducks: The Unwanted Record Holders
The Double-Edged Sword of IPL Cricket
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has long been the global stage where batting prowess is measured by towering sixes, elegant cover drives, and match-winning knocks. However, beneath the glamour of record-breaking partnerships and strike rates, there exists a darker side to the game: the dreaded ‘duck.’ A scoreless dismissal is the ultimate frustration for any batter, regardless of their status or experience level.
While tailenders are often expected to feature prominently in this list due to their limited batting prowess, the reality of the game is more nuanced. Some of the most experienced and celebrated batters in IPL history find themselves accumulating an unwanted tally of zeros. This article examines the career trajectories and statistics of the LisIPL Players With Most Ducks, highlighting how even legends can fall prey to the pressure of the shortest format.
The 16-Duck Club: Chawla and Khan
Leading off our analysis are two spin-bowling stalwarts, Piyush Chawla and Rashid Khan, both of whom have recorded 16 ducks in their respective IPL careers. Piyush Chawla, a veteran of 16 seasons, has navigated a long and winding road through four different franchises. Across 92 innings, his batting average stands at a modest 11.14. Despite his struggles at the crease, Chawla remains a celebrated figure, largely due to his decisive cameo in the 2014 IPL final, which cemented his legacy as a match-winner for the Kolkata Knight Riders.
In contrast, Rashid Khan represents a different archetype of the bowling all-rounder. While he shares the tally of 16 ducks, his impact with the bat is far more explosive. With a staggering career strike rate of 157.36, the Afghanistan sensation has proven that a duck is often just the byproduct of a high-risk, high-reward approach at the death. Having already registered an IPL fifty, Rashid continues to be a vital asset for the Gujarat Titans.
The 18-Duck Threshold: Karthik and Narine
The middle tier of this unfortunate list features two giants associated with the Kolkata Knight Riders: Dinesh Karthik and Sunil Narine, both sitting on 18 ducks. Dinesh Karthik’s 17-season journey from 2008 to 2024 saw him represent a multitude of teams, including RCB, KKR, and the Mumbai Indians. Playing 257 matches, he amassed 4,842 runs, proving that 18 ducks are a small footnote in an otherwise illustrious career as one of the most prolific wicketkeeper-batters in the league.
Sunil Narine, a household name for KKR fans, also shares this record. Known for his role as a pinch-hitter at the top of the order or a slogger in the final overs, Narine’s aggressive batting style often leads to boom-or-bust outcomes. Over 126 innings, he has hit seven fifties and a century, maintaining a blistering career strike rate of 165.30. For Narine, the ducks are merely the cost of his relentless pursuit of rapid runs.
The Top of the List: Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell
At the pinnacle of this list, we find two of the most iconic names in T20 cricket: Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell, each with 19 ducks. Rohit Sharma, one of only two cricketers to aggregate over 7,000 runs in IPL history, holds a record that highlights the volatility of opening the batting. His 19th duck, suffered at the Wankhede Stadium during the 2026 season against Jofra Archer, served as a reminder that no player, regardless of their stature as a legendary opener, is immune to a four-ball failure.
Glenn Maxwell, the powerhouse Australian all-rounder, shares this top spot with an even more striking efficiency in his dismissals. Recording 19 ducks in just 135 innings, Maxwell essentially walks back to the pavilion without scoring once in every seven innings. His journey across four franchises has been marked by extreme peaks—such as his 18 half-centuries—and deep valleys. Specifically, 15 of those half-centuries were concentrated in just three seasons (2014, 2021, and 2023), illustrating his mercurial nature at the crease.
Final Thoughts
While the title of the ‘LisIPL Players With Most Ducks’ is certainly not one that any professional cricketer aspires to hold, it is a testament to the immense longevity and high-risk nature of the modern game. These players have remained central figures in the IPL for over a decade, contributing significantly with the ball or through explosive bursts of runs that far outweigh their occasional scoreless outings. In the unpredictable landscape of T20 cricket, the risk of a duck is the price paid for playing with intent and aggression.
Shaan Cooper is a cricket journalist and SEO content writer from Bengaluru who focuses on breaking cricket news, live match coverage, and player performance stories. Her writing style combines fast-paced reporting with detailed cricket knowledge tailored for digital sports platforms.
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