Duck in Cricket: Golden, Diamond, Royal & Every Type Explained
A duck is when a batter is dismissed without scoring. Here are all the types — golden, silver, pair, king, diamond and royal duck — with clear definitions.
A duck in cricket is when a batter is dismissed having scored zero runs. The term comes from “duck’s egg,” the shape of the 0 on the scoreboard. There are several named types depending on how the duck happened.
Types of duck
| Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| Duck | Out for 0 (any number of balls faced) |
| Golden duck | Out on the first ball faced, for 0 |
| Silver duck | Out for 0 on the second ball faced |
| Bronze duck | Out for 0 on the third ball faced |
| Diamond duck | Out for 0 without facing a legal delivery (e.g. run out at the non-striker’s end, or out off a wide) |
| Royal / platinum duck | Out on the first ball of the team’s innings (the opener, first ball of the match) |
| Pair | Out for 0 in both innings of a match |
| King pair | A golden duck in both innings of a match |
Golden vs diamond — the common mix-up
These two are frequently confused:
- A golden duck means the batter did face one ball and got out off it.
- A diamond duck means the batter got out for 0 without facing a legal ball at all — most often run out backing up at the non-striker’s end, or dismissed off a wide (which is not a ball “faced”).
Why ducks matter
Ducks are a quick gauge of a top-order collapse and a long-running source of cricket trivia and records. A king pair, in particular, is one of the rarer and more painful entries a batter can pick up.
Quick summary: A duck = out for 0. Golden = first ball faced; diamond = out without facing a legal ball; king pair = golden duck in both innings.
Frequently asked questions
What is a golden duck?+
A golden duck is when a batter is out on the very first ball they face, scoring zero.
What is the difference between a diamond duck and a golden duck?+
A golden duck means out first ball faced. A diamond duck means dismissed without facing a legal delivery at all — typically run out at the non-striker's end or off a wide.
What is a king pair?+
A king pair is when a batter is out for a golden duck (first ball) in both innings of the same match.