Top 10 Batsmen with most innings before first duck in T20Is

India’s Yuvraj Singh was on the verge of creating a world record had he not been dismissed for a duck during the 2nd T20I against Sri Lanka at Ranchi. Getting out on a duck is one the worst nightmares any batsmen could have, and the players who avoid it long enough are often considered to be a supreme asset to the team. Yuvraj got his first duck in his T20I career during his innings against Sri Lanka and ended up being the second on the list of top 10 batsmen with most innings before first duck in T20Is. 10. Michael Lumb – 24 Innings Michael Lumb. (© Getty Images) One of England’s key member during their ICC World T20 win in 2010, Michael Lumb made his T20 debut against West Indies in 2010 during the group stage match in the World T20. He went on to play 24 innings before getting his first duck in T20 internationals in 2014. Lumb, who has the highest score of 63 in T20Is, recorded his first duck against Sri Lanka in 2014 World T20. While his opening partner was the star of the show with a century, Lumb got a second ball duck and was dismissed by Nuwan Kulasekara. 9. Misbah-ul-Haq – 24 Innings: Pakistan Misbah-ul Haq. (Photo by INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images) One of the most experienced T20 players of Pakistan, who almost won the inaugural edition of World T20 for his side, Misbah-ul-Haq also has 24 innings to his name before registering his first duck. Having made his debut in 2007, during the World Cup, Misbah took 3 years to get out on a duck in international cricket. During the 2010 edition of the World T20 against Australia, he was unlucky to be run out on zero by Shaun Tait. The match went down in the history as Mike Hussey’s greatest finishing knock. 8. James Franklin – 25 Innings: James Franklin. (© LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images) New Zealand all-rounder James Franklin made his T20 international debut in 2006. Franklin is considered to be one of the masters of the shortest format and has largely been a globetrotter in T20 leagues. His first duck came during the first T20I of New Zealand’s tour of South Africa in 2012 at Durban. Coming in at number 4, Franklin edged one to Quinton de Kock off the bowling of Ryan McLaren to register his maiden duck after 25 innings. 7. Mohammad Hafeez – 25 Innings: Mohammad Hafeez. (Photo Source: Associated Press) One of Pakistan’s leading batsmen in T20 cricket, Mohammad Hafeez also played 25 successful innings before getting out on a zero in international Twenty20 matches. Hafeez was dismissed by Steven Finn on the second ball of the Pakistan innings. Chasing 151 for the win, Pakistan failed to chase down the target and were bundled out 112. Surely, the failure of their consistent batsman put them under more pressure. 6. Kyle Coetzer – 26 Innings: Kyle Coetzer. (Photo Source:ICC) Scotland’s opener Kyle Coetzer is the only player from the associate nations to feature in the elite list. Coetzer made his T20 debut against Ireland in 2008. Coetzer, who has the top score of 70 in 40 balls (against Hong Kong) in T20Is, played 26 innings before registering his first duck. It was during their match against Hong Kong on 30 January 2016 when he was dismissed by Haseeb Amjad in the first over of the rain-curtailed 10 over-a-side match. Scotland were reduced to 66/7 in their 10 overs and lost by 9 wickets. 5. Graeme Smith – 31 Innings: Graeme Smith. (© STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP/Getty Images) Perhaps the best captain of South African team in the history of the game, Graeme Smith was phenomenal with the bat at the top order. He provided the Protea side with brisk starts in all forms of the game and no wonder why the bowlers took 31 innings to get this man out for a duck. Having made his debut in 2005, Smith’s first duck came 6 years later in 2011 against Australia at Cape Town. He was clean bowled by Doug Bollinger on the last ball of the first over of the match. South Africa went on to lose the match by 5 wickets. 4. Brendon McCullum – 33 Innings: Mitchell Starc. (© Getty Images) The brash and brutal opener from New Zealand, Brendon McCullum might give an impression that he would throw away his wicket early in the innings due to his attacking nature of play. But the stats have a different story to tell. McCullum played 33 innings before getting out on a duck in T20 internationals. Playing against Sri Lanka at the Providence during the World T20 in 2010, McCullum got a golden duck as he was dismissed by Angelo Mathews. Chasing a modest 136 for the win, the Kiwis were rocked back after his dismissal; but, however, they managed to win the game by 2 wickets and a ball to spare. 3. Eoin Morgan – 35 Innings: England captain Eoin Morgan. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) The Ireland-born English cricketer Eoin Morgan has been a consistent performer for the England team in T20 internationals. Having played ODIs for England and Ireland, Morgan has played T20 international only for the English team. Morgan didn’t score a duck for 35 straight innings. His resistance came to an end when England played Australia at Southampton in 2013. The match in which Aaron Finch scored a mammoth 156, England were set a target of 249. Morgan came in to bat at number four, but his stay lasted only 3 balls as he was caught by Glenn Maxwell off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson. 2. Yuvraj Singh – 39 Innings: Yuvraj Singh. (Photo by Mark Nolan – CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images) Yuvraj Singh was the star of India’s World T20 win in 2007. One of the cleanest hitters of the ball and the record holder of the fastest half-century in T20 cricket, Yuvraj became a part of Thisara Perera’s hat-trick when he was dismissed for a duck at Ranchi. This was his first duck in T20Is after 39 innings in the shortest format of the game. After the dismissal of Hardik Pandya and Suresh Raina on two successive deliveries, Yuvraj was under the pressure to hit the long ball but could only manage to land the ball in the hands of the long on fielder. 1. Shoaib Malik – 40 Innings: Shoaib Malik. (© INEKE ZONDAG/AFP/Getty Images) Pakistan’s Shoaib Malik tops the list of top 10 players with most innings before first duck in T20Is. Malik made his T20I debut way back in 2006. He played 40 innings before getting his first duck that came against Australia at Dubai in 2012. It was the 3rd and the final T20I of the series, that Pakistan already led 2-0. Chasing 169, Pakistan were two down on 15 in the third over when Malik came into bat. Pat Cummins got through his defences to rattle his stumps while he was yet to open his account. Malik’s stay lasted only 3 balls. (All stats updated till 19th June 2016) Also read: Top 10 teams with most losses in T20 Internationals