Watch: Kagiso Rabada sets up Jos Buttler, traps him LBW for a record fifth duck in IPL 2023
Watch: Kagiso Rabada set up Jos Buttler brilliantly in Punjab Kings’ clash with Rajasthan Royals on Friday, as England’s white-ball captain picked up a record fifth duck of IPL 2023.
The South African seamer bowled the second over for Punjab and began with an outswinger that Buttler, facing his first ball of the game, pushed tamely into the covers.
Rabada then tightened his line and moved the ball away from the right-hander twice more, beating the bat on both occasions.
Buttler had looked out of sorts after just three balls. At this point Rabada produced a full in-swinger, which surprised Buttler and crashed into the pads in front of off stump. Buttler, given out on field, walked off without scoring for the fifth time in this year’s tournament.
It is the first time a batter has been dismissed for five ducks in an IPL season, although Shikhar Dhawan, Manish Pandey, Herschelle Gibbs and Mithun Manhas have all managed four over the years.
To be fair, one of these ducks had been a sacrifice, during Rajasthan’s clash with Kolkata Knight Riders. Buttker ran himself out to allow Yashasvi Jaiswal to continue and record the fastest 50 in IPL history. Another duck came as Rajasthan were bowled out for just 59.
Buttler has enjoyed some success with four fifties in his 14 games, but 392 runs at 28 is a disappointing return for a player of his world-class calibre.
In 2022, Buttler had won won the Orange Cap, scoring more than twice his 2023 tally as the Royals reached the final. His red-hot form in that campaign had culminated in an eight innings spell that saw him score three hundreds and three fifties.
His lack of runs this year has cost Rajasthan. They did beat Punjab Kings, but will have to wait for the outcome of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s clash with league leader Gujarat Titans, then Mumbai Indians’ against Sunrisers Hyderabad, to see if they have done enough to make the playoffs.
England will be hoping Buttler can recover his form this summer, as they look to defend their 2019 World Cup title in India later this year.
