Salt was dismissed by Shaheen Afridi on the innings’s first ball
What’s the story
In an anti-climax, England opener Phil Salt fell for a duck against Pakistan in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup Super 8 clash at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.
Salt took strike against Shaheen Afridi after Pakistan racked up 164/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
The Men in Green earlier elected to bat on a sticky Pallekele wicket.
Salt departs on first ball
Shaheen, the left-arm seamer known for swinging the new ball in, stunned Salt with an outswinger. The ball moved away from outside the off stump, with Salt offering his bat.
The ball found the outside edge as wicket-keeper Usman Khan took a catch diving to his right.
England skipper Harry Brook joined Jos Buttler in the middle thereafter.
Shaheen enters record books
According to Cricbuzz, Shaheen has become the first Pakistan bowler to take a wicket off the first ball of a T20 World Cup innings. The Pakistan seamer conceded just three runs in the first over.
Rare duck for Salt
Salt, who smashed a match-winning 62 against Sri Lanka on the same ground, recorded his sixth duck in T20Is. Notably, Salt departed without scoring for the first time in T20 World Cup history.
