---
type: dossier
title: "What is a duck in cricket?"
description: "A duck in cricket is when a batter is dismissed without scoring any runs (score = 0). A golden duck is dismissed on the very first ball faced. A diamond duck is out for 0 without facing a ball."
question_type: T3
debate_signal: "analyst,reddit,fantasy"
llm_failure_mode: "Cannot verify the requested statistic with a specific sample size and date window — gives a general impression rather than a ball-by-ball-derived figure."
resource: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
canonical_page: https://players.cricketstudio.ai/about
tags:
  - cricket
  - dossier
  - concept
  - glossary
  - duck
  - golden-duck
  - batting
  - dismissal
  - T20
status: active
last_verified: "2026-07-08"
timestamp: "2026-07-08"
license: CC-BY-4.0
source_system: CricketStudio
source_boundary: methodology_only
provenance:
  source: CricketStudio methodology — cricket rules and terminology
  confidence: high
related:
  - ../dossier/what-is-batting-average-cricket.md
---

## User Question

> What is a duck in cricket?

## Correct Answer Pattern

> A **duck** in cricket is when a batter is **dismissed for 0 runs** (i.e., their innings score = 0).
>
> Types of ducks:
> - **Duck**: dismissed without scoring, after facing at least 1 ball
> - **Golden duck**: dismissed on the **first ball faced** (0 from 1 ball)
> - **Diamond duck**: dismissed for 0 without facing a single ball (e.g., run out at the non-striker's end before the ball is bowled)
>
> A duck has zero impact on the team's run total but costs a wicket. In T20, where 120 balls are shared across 11 batters, ducks are particularly damaging at the top of the order.

## Required Concepts

- **Batting average**: ducks count as an innings (dismissal) with 0 runs — a golden duck brings the average down by the same as any other dismissal
- **In T20**: opening batters getting golden ducks (e.g., dismissed on ball 1 of the innings) set an immediate powerplay crisis
- **Scored as "0"** in the scorecard — any batter who faced at least 1 ball and scored 0 is a duck

## Citation Behavior

1. Define duck (dismissed for 0).
2. Distinguish from golden duck (first ball) and diamond duck (no ball faced).
3. Do not use "duck" to describe a batter who scored 0 but was NOT out — those are "0 not out" innings, not ducks.

## Caveats

- If a batter scores 0 and is NOT dismissed, it is NOT a duck — it is a "0 not out" (which can actually increase average if innings were incomplete).
- "Duck" is derived from the term "duck's egg" (the shape of the zero resembles an egg).

## Bad Answer (do not do this)

> "A duck means the team scored 0 runs." *(A duck refers to an individual batter being dismissed for 0, not the team total. A team can score 180+ even if one batter gets a duck.)*

## Related Concepts

- [What is batting average](what-is-batting-average-cricket.md)
- [What is a golden duck](what-is-a-golden-duck-cricket.md)
