Asia Cup: Ayub registers 4th duck of tournament, outdoes Shahid Afridi to climb 2nd spot of unfortunate list

Dubai [UAE], September 25 (ANI): Pakistan batter Saim Ayub's nightmarish Asia Cup 2025 continued as he registered his fourth duck in six innings of the competition and overtook former all-rounder Shahid Afridi to have the second-most ducks for Pakistan in T20Is.

Ayub fell for a three-ball duck against Mahedi Hasan against Bangladesh during his side's must-win Super Four clash, a virtual semifinal for a spot against the final against India. His run in the tournament has been a total of 23 runs in six innings at an average of 3.8 and only one double-digit score, 21 against India in the Super Four stage.

Afridi had eight T20I ducks in 90 innings, while Ayub has done him one better in half the innings. Umar Akmal has the most ducks by a Pakistani batter in T20Is, with 10 in 79 innings.

In 47 T20Is for his nation, Ayub has made 839 runs in 45 innings at an average of 19.51 and a strike rate of 134.24, with four fifties and a best score of 98*. In 20 innings this year, he has scored just 341 runs at an average of 17.05 and a strike rate of over 129 with three fifties and a best score of 69.

Coming to the match, Bangladesh skipper Jaker Ali won the toss and opted to bowl first. Bangladesh's bowling looked threatening right from ball one, as Pakistan was restricted to 71/6 in 13.3 overs. A 38-run stand between Mohammad Haris (31 in 23 balls, with two fours and a six) and Mohammed Nawaz (25* in 15 balls, with a four and two sixes), the only two players to touch 20-run mark, helped Pakistan reach a scratchy 135/8 in their 20 overs.

Taskin Ahmed (3/28) was the leading bowler for Bangladesh along with Rishad Hossain (2/18 in four overs) and Mahedi Hasan (2/28). Mustafizur Rahman, who took 1/33 in four overs, went above New Zealand's Ish Sodhi (150 wickets) to become the third-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, with 151 scalps in 119 matches at an average of 20.66 and best figures of 6/10. He has three four-wicket hauls and two five-fors in the format. He is already above legendary Shakib al Hasan (149 wickets) as Bangladesh's top T20I wicket-taker. Afghanistan's Rashid Khan (173 scalps in 103 matches at an average of 13.93, with best figures of 5/3, eight four-fera and two five-wicket hauls) is the format's leading wicket-taker. (ANI)

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