New Delhi: India opener Abhishek Sharma equalled an unwanted record after getting dismissed on a Golden Duck in the one-off T20I against Japan at the Sano International Cricket Ground in Sano on Tuesday, September 22. India survived a massive scare to beat Japan by 2 runs in the rain-affected contest.
Abhishek, who headed into the one-off T20I on the back of a sensational hundred against Afghanistan in New Delhi, suffered a rare failure in Sano. The swashbuckling left-hander was sent packing on a Golden Duck by spinner Charlie Hara-Hinze in the very first over after India opted to bat first in the game.
Abhishek edged a leg-stump delivery from Hinze and was caught by Shoma Sugaya-Slater to walk back without managing to open his account in the match. It was Abhishek’s seventh duck in T20Is for India in 2026 as he equalled the record for most ducks in a calendar year by any batter in T20Is.
Most ducks in a calendar year in T20Is:
- Zappy Bimenyimana (2023) – 7
- Orchide Tuyisenge (2023) – 7
- Saim Ayub (2025) – 7
- Abhishek Sharma (2026) * – 7
It was Abhishek’s fifth first-ball duck in T20Is as he also equalled the unwanted record for the most Golden Ducks in a calendar year in T20Is. Kevin Irakoze (5) of Rwanda and Richard Ngarava (5) of Zimbabwe jointly hold the record for the most Golden Ducks in a calendar year in T20Is.
While he has been dismissed on ducks on seven occasions in 2026, Abhishek is also the second-highest run-scorer for India in T20Is this year, highlighting his impact in the format. He has so far notched up 743 runs in 27 matches for India in T20Is in 2026, with six fifties and a century to his name.
India survive scare to beat Japan
India survived a major scare to beat Japan by 2 runs in the rain-affected one-off T20I, which was reduced to a five-over-per-side contest. After a horror start, India were 32/4 overs when rain hampered the proceedings, forcing the organisers to reduce the match to five overs per side.
However, Washington Sundar picked up two wickets with the new ball to help India restrict Japan to 30/3 in 5 overs and register a nail-biting 2-run victory in the one-off game. It was Japan’s first meeting with a full-member nation in T20Is, and they nearly pulled off a shocking victory against the reigning t20 world champions.
