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LisIPL Players With Most Ducks: The Unwanted Record Holders

Kabir Anand · · 4 min read

The Shadow Side of IPL Brilliance

The Indian Premier League (IPL) has long been celebrated as the ultimate theater for cricketing excellence. It is a stage where modern-day gladiators etch their names into history with towering sixes, calculated chases, and match-winning knocks. However, beneath the glamour and the roar of the crowds lies a humbling reality: the dreaded duck. While tailenders are often forgiven for scoreless outings, it is frequently the seasoned professionals and high-impact batters who find themselves accumulating an unwanted tally of zeroes. Understanding the LisIPL Players With Most Ducks provides a fascinating look at the volatility of T20 cricket.

The 16-Duck Club: Chawla and Khan

At the base of this list, we find two players who have balanced their scoreless dismissals with significant contributions to the tournament. Piyush Chawla, the veteran spinner, has recorded 16 ducks across 92 innings. Having featured for four different franchises over 16 seasons, Chawla’s batting average of 11.14 reflects his role as a lower-order contributor. Despite his struggles with the willow, he remains a legend of the game, notably remembered for his crucial cameo in the 2014 IPL final.

Alongside him sits Rashid Khan, the Afghan superstar who has also registered 16 ducks in 72 innings. Unlike traditional tailenders, Rashid brings a unique intensity to the crease. With a staggering strike rate of 157.36 and an IPL fifty to his name, Rashid’s ducks are often the result of his aggressive intent to score quickly at the death, a hallmark of his high-risk, high-reward playing style.

The 18-Duck Threshold: Karthik and Narine

Moving up the ladder, we encounter two pillars of the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise: Dinesh Karthik and Sunil Narine. Dinesh Karthik’s 18 ducks must be viewed through the lens of his longevity. Spanning 17 seasons and 257 matches, Karthik is one of the most prolific wicketkeeper-batters in the history of the league, amassing 4,842 runs. His record is a testament to the dangers of playing at the highest level for nearly two decades across multiple franchises.

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Sunil Narine, the dynamic West Indies all-rounder, also shares this tally. Having played 201 matches since 2012, Narine has been a revolutionary force. Whether serving as an explosive top-order disruptor or a death-overs slogger, his 18 ducks have come during a career defined by aggression. With a strike rate of 165.30 and a century to his credit, Narine’s contribution to the IPL far outweighs the occasional scoreless dismissal.

The Leaders of the Unwanted List: Rohit Sharma and Glenn Maxwell

Topping the list are two of the most recognizable names in global cricket, both sharing the undesirable record of 19 ducks. Rohit Sharma, one of only two players in IPL history to surpass 7,000 runs, is a surprising inclusion. His 19th duck occurred during the IPL 2026 season at the Wankhede Stadium. Despite his status as a legendary opener, Rohit’s journey across 276 innings for the Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians proves that even the most technically gifted players are not immune to early departures.

Sharing the summit is Australian powerhouse Glenn Maxwell. While he has reached the 19-duck mark in significantly fewer innings (135), his record underscores the boom-or-bust nature of his batting. Averaging a duck once every seven innings, Maxwell’s career is a study in extremes. Although he has recorded 18 half-centuries, a large portion of those came in specific, prolific seasons, highlighting an uneven run that has made him both a match-winner and a high-risk liability.

Conclusion

The statistics surrounding the LisIPL Players With Most Ducks serve as a poignant reminder that cricket is a game of fine margins. Whether it is a result of aggressive intent, long-term fatigue, or simply the pressure of the format, these ducks do not diminish the immense legacies of the players involved. In the IPL, where the margin between glory and disappointment is a single delivery, even the greatest players must occasionally confront the scoreboard starting at zero.

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Kabir Anand

Kabir Anand is a senior cricket correspondent for India Today, respected for turning intricate match data into accessible and compelling narratives. A graduate of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, he began his career covering the city’s Kanga League and age‑group tournaments before stepping onto the IPL and international stage. Kabir specialises in T20 tactics, with a unique focus on the often‑overlooked art of wicketkeeping and fielding analytics. Whether breaking down a death‑over strategy or profiling the sharpest glovesmen in world cricket, his writing combines clarity with technical rigour. He has reported from multiple IPL seasons, T20 World Cups, and bilateral series, and is a regular contributor to India Today’s digital and broadcast platforms. A RedInk Award winner, Kabir remains driven by a belief that modern cricket journalism must blend real‑time data with the timeless craft of storytelling.