In cricket, a golden duck refers to a batter being dismissed on the very first delivery they face in their innings, resulting in a score of zero. This type of dismissal is considered particularly embarrassing for a batsman, as it means they have failed to score any runs and have been dismissed immediately upon taking the crease.
The term “duck” itself is a shortening of the phrase “duck’s egg,” which was used long before the start of Test cricket. The name is believed to have originated from the shape of the number “0” resembling a duck’s egg.
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Types of Ducks in Cricket
While a golden duck is the most well-known type, there are several variations used to describe specific types of ducks in cricket:
- Silver Duck: When a batter is dismissed on the second delivery of their innings
- Bronze Duck: When a batter is dismissed on the third delivery of their innings
- Diamond Duck: When a batter is dismissed without facing any legal delivery, often due to run-outs or time-outs
- Royal Duck: When an opener is dismissed on the very first ball of their team’s innings
- Pair: When a batter is dismissed for a duck in both innings of a two-inning match
- King Pair: When a batter is dismissed for a golden duck in both innings of a two-inning match
Notable Golden Ducks in Cricket History
One particularly high-profile example of a golden duck came in 1948 when legendary Australian batter Don Bradman was playing his final Test match against England at The Oval. In Australia’s first innings, Bradman was bowled for a golden duck by Eric Hollies, causing his Test average to fall from 101.39 to 99.94.
More recently, in a T20 World Cup 2024 match, India-born USA pacer Saurabh Netravalkar dismissed Indian star batter Virat Kohli for a golden duck, marking Kohli’s first-ever golden duck in T20 World Cup history.
Who Has the Most Golden Ducks?
Former Sri Lankan cricketers Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga hold the records for the most golden ducks in Test and One-Day Internationals (ODIs), respectively. Muralitharan has recorded 14 golden ducks in Test cricket, while Malinga accumulated 13 golden ducks in ODIs.
In T20 internationals, Rwanada batter Kevin Irakoze has been dismissed for a golden duck nine times, the most in the format.
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