Golden duck record: Samson & Sharma’s unwanted feat, where both Indian openers were dismissed for zero on the very first ball, stunned cricket fans in Belfast and sealed a disastrous start for India.
Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma became only the second pair of opening batters from Full Member nations to both fall for golden ducks in T20Is. This golden duck record happened in the very first over, bowled by Irish pacer Jai Moondra, who removed Samson on the first ball and Sharma on the next. India’s chase of 155 never recovered, collapsing to a series deficit of 0-2 against Ireland.
For Abhishek Sharma, this golden duck record adds to a troubling trend. He registered his sixth duck in T20Is in 2026, one short of the Full Member record for most ducks in a calendar year. His repeated early failures raise serious questions about his consistency. Meanwhile, captain Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan also fell cheaply, exposing India’s fragile top order yet again. This marked only the third time India’s openers were both out for ducks in T20I history.
Ireland’s Harry Tector scored a composed 53, setting the target that proved more than enough. India’s batting collapse, beginning with the golden duck record, highlighted a worrying pattern. The final match in Dublin offers a chance for redemption, but the image of two openers walking back without scoring will linger. No team enjoys such a record—it reminds us that in T20 cricket, fortune can change in just one ball.