Players With Most Ducks In Women’s ODIs

Even the finest batters walk back for a duck. It’s part of the game, nothing more.

In Women’s ODI cricket, some of the most decorated names carry surprisingly high duck tallies—not because they couldn’t bat, but because they showed up for hundreds of matches across 15 or 20-year careers.

Jhulan Goswami leads this list with 18 ducks. She also happens to be India’s greatest fast bowler with 255 ODI wickets.

The correlation isn’t hard to spot: most players here were specialist bowlers or wicketkeepers who batted deep in the order.

This article breaks down the top 10 players with most ducks in women’s ODIs, using verified data from ESPNcricinfo’s records section.

Players With Most Ducks In Women’s ODIs

What Does This List Actually Tell Us?

A duck doesn’t define a career. It’s one dismissal on one day under specific conditions—maybe a late swing, maybe a sharp turner, maybe just bad luck.

When you analyse the names below, seven out of ten are tail-enders who were never selected for their batting.

Charlotte Edwards sits second on this list with 16 ducks. She also scored nearly 6,000 ODI runs and captained England for over a decade.

Context matters more than the number itself.

Complete Breakdown: Top 10 Players With Most Ducks In Women’s ODIs

Here’s the full ranking based on career duck count, sorted from most to least:

1. Jhulan Goswami (India) – 18 Ducks

India’s pace legend collected 18 ducks across 204 matches between 2002 and 2022.

She batted at No. 8 or 9 consistently, facing the new ball occasionally and spin regularly.

Eighteen zeros in that role isn’t surprising—it’s expected.

What defines Goswami isn’t the duck count.

It’s 255 ODI wickets, 20 years of service, and a legacy as one of women’s cricket’s finest fast bowlers. The bat was never her primary tool.

2. Charlotte Edwards (England) – 16 Ducks

England’s former captain scored 5,992 runs at 38.16 and hit nine ODI centuries.

She played aggressive cricket from ball one, which naturally led to early dismissals when it didn’t come off.

Sixteen ducks in 180 innings reflects an attacking mindset, not poor technique.

Edwards backed herself to dominate bowlers, and more often than not, she did exactly that.

3. Laura Pearson (England) – 14 Ducks

Pearson was a specialist seamer who averaged 3.08 with the bat.

Fourteen ducks across 32 innings shows she wasn’t selected for batting contributions.

England wanted her to take wickets, and she did that job without pretending otherwise.

4. Sarah McGlashan (New Zealand) – 14 Ducks

New Zealand’s wicketkeeper-batter scored 2,438 runs at 22.36 across 134 matches.

She attacked early and accepted the consequences when it failed.

A highest score of 97* proves she could build innings when conditions allowed it.

Fourteen ducks came with the territory for someone who backed her instincts from the first delivery.

India Players With Most Ducks In Women’s ODIs

Among Indian players, Jhulan Goswami stands alone at the top.

Most Indian batters who played long careers—Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana—don’t feature on this list because they batted in the top or middle order and averaged significantly higher.

Goswami’s position in the tail naturally led to more ducks. It’s worth noting that India’s lower-order batting has historically been weak, which adds context to her tally.

5. Qanita Jalil (Pakistan) – 13 Ducks

Pakistan’s right-arm seamer averaged 8.80 across 59 innings. Thirteen ducks followed naturally from batting deep in the tail. Jalil’s job was to swing the ball and create pressure, which she did across 66 matches between 2005 and 2015.

6. Batool Fatima (Pakistan) – 13 Ducks

Fatima kept wicket for Pakistan and averaged 8.62 with the bat.

Thirteen ducks in 67 innings reflects her role behind the stumps, not in front of them. Pakistan valued her glovework, and that’s where she delivered consistently.

7. Anisa Mohammed (West Indies) – 13 Ducks

West Indies’ leading wicket-taker retired with 180 ODI scalps.

Thirteen ducks barely register when measured against two decades of match-winning spin bowling. Mohammed focused on one thing: breaking partnerships.

The zeros with the bat are footnotes in a career defined by turning points and pressure bowling.

8. Lea Tahuhu (New Zealand) – 12 Ducks

Tahuhu retired in March 2026 with 125 ODI wickets. She batted at No. 10 or 11, scored 442 runs at 9.82, and collected 12 ducks along the way.

The new ball was always her strength, and she never pretended otherwise.

9. Chamani Seneviratna (Sri Lanka) – 12 Ducks

Seneviratna played 80 ODIs for Sri Lanka across 16 years, scoring 832 runs with a highest of 56.

Twelve ducks in 70 innings came with the role she played in a developing cricket nation during the late 1990s and 2000s.

Longevity matters more than any duck tally. Showing up for 16 years says everything about her commitment.

10. Clare Shillington (Ireland) – 12 Ducks

Shillington scored 1,276 runs at 17.72 across 90 matches for Ireland, competing against full-member nations during the Associate era.

A highest score of 95* shows she could handle quality bowling on her best days.

Twelve ducks in 79 innings came with that challenge. Sticking around long enough to leave a mark counts far more.

Expert Insight: Why Duck Counts Don’t Define Careers

If you look at players with most ducks in women’s ODIs in 2022 or any other recent year, the pattern stays consistent: most are tail-enders or aggressive top-order batters.

A duck is situational. Maybe the pitch offered uneven bounce.

Maybe the bowler got one to swing late. Maybe it was just one of those days.

The real question isn’t how many ducks a player has—it’s what they contributed to their team over hundreds of matches.

Goswami’s 255 wickets matter infinitely more than her 18 ducks. Edwards’ leadership and 6,000 runs overshadow her 16 zeros.

Cricket rewards longevity and consistency, not perfection.

Every player on this list showed up, match after match, and competed hard. That’s what counts.

How This Compares to Fielding Records in Women’s Cricket

While we’re discussing career stats, it’s worth noting that some of these players also rank among the best fielders in women’s cricket.

Charlotte Edwards, for instance, holds 73 ODI catches—putting her among the leaders in most catches in women’s ODI history.

Fielding contributions often go unnoticed in statistical breakdowns, but they’re just as crucial as wickets or runs in tight matches.

Players like Edwards and McGlashan contributed significantly in the field, adding another dimension to their overall value.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Who holds the record for most ducks in Women’s ODI cricket?

Jhulan Goswami of India holds the record with 18 career ducks across 204 ODI matches between 2002 and 2022.

• Are most players on this list bowlers or batters?

Seven out of ten players on this list are specialist bowlers or wicketkeepers who batted deep in the order, which explains the high duck counts.

• How can I check duck counts for any player?

Visit ESPNcricinfo’s records section, select Women’s ODIs, and navigate to “Most Ducks” under batting records for updated career tallies.

• Does a high duck count mean a player was poor?

Not at all. Context matters—most players here were tail-enders or aggressive batters who prioritized strike rate over survival. Their value came from bowling, keeping, or attacking intent.

• What’s Charlotte Edwards’ overall ODI record?

Edwards scored 5,992 runs at 38.16 with nine centuries across 191 matches. Her 16 ducks reflect an aggressive approach that worked far more often than it failed.

Wrapping Up: Ducks Don’t Define Greatness

Jhulan Goswami’s 18 ducks lead this list, but 255 ODI wickets define her career.

The same logic applies to every player here. Most were specialists who batted deep in the order and contributed primarily with ball or gloves.

A duck is just one dismissal on one day. It doesn’t measure skill, commitment, or legacy.

What matters is showing up across 80, 100, or 200 matches and competing hard every single time.

That’s what separates good players from great ones—not how many times they walked back for zero, but how many times they came back and delivered when it mattered most.

Also Check:

• Australia Women’s T20I Captains List: 2005 to 2026

• Which Indian Women Cricketers Have Stands Named After Them