Mohammad Rizwan Registers the Slowest Duck by a Pakistan Wicketkeeper at Home
In an unexpected twist during Pakistan’s ongoing Test series against England in 2024, Mohammad Rizwan made an unusual entry into the record books. While the Multan Test had been progressing in Pakistan's favor, with a strong 64-run partnership between Saud Shakeel and nightwatchman Naseem Shah, Rizwan’s innings took a surprising turn. When he walked in to bat at 388/5, Pakistan seemed to have a solid grip on the match, but what followed was a moment of cricketing irony.
Rizwan, known for his aggressive stroke play and consistent performances, fell for a 12-ball duck. It's not just the dismissal that caught everyone’s attention, but the fact that this was the slowest duck ever registered by a Pakistan wicketkeeper on home soil. While ducks are not uncommon, slow ones tend to stand out. Rizwan’s patient but ultimately fruitless 12-ball stay was a reminder of how cricket can often play out in ways that defy expectations.
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His dismissal came just minutes before the lunch break on Day 2, when Rizwan charged down the pitch, attempting to take on England spinner Jack Leach. Instead, he ended up lofting the ball straight to Chris Woakes at mid-off, departing without adding to the score. It marked the fourth duck of Rizwan’s Test career, with his last coming back in March 2022 during a Test against Australia in Lahore. However, this one stood out for being notably slow.
The previous records for the slowest ducks by Pakistan wicketkeepers in Tests were shared by Wasim Bari and Kamran Akmal, both of whom had endured 13-ball ducks. Rizwan’s 12-ball effort now ranks just behind them in the list of Pakistan’s slowest dismissals by a wicketkeeper in the format.
Given Rizwan's excellent form heading into the series, this performance came as a surprise, underlining the unpredictable nature of cricket. By the time lunch arrived, Pakistan was 397/6, with England seizing control of the session. Despite the slow pitch offering little to bowlers, Rizwan's uncharacteristic innings turned the momentum, allowing England to regroup and fight back.
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