You might think a batsman is disappointed whenever he gets out. And yes, he is.
But believe it or not, getting out early can hurt a batsman even more. And then comes the duck.
Getting out without scoring a single run is one of the most disappointing moments for any batsman. But it gets even worse when a batsman is dismissed on the very first ball he faces.
That is a Golden Duck.
For a batsman, there are few worse ways to begin an innings. But cricket has an even stranger dismissal—one that can make even a golden duck look ordinary.
Imagine being dismissed without even facing a single delivery.
No ball faced.
No run scored.
And you're already walking back to the pavilion.
That is a Diamond Duck.
By now, you might be wondering—how is that even possible? But I want to tell you something.
It is not just possible. It has actually happened.
Not once, but many times in cricket. And some of those incidents have involved well-known players and produced some genuinely unusual moments.
But before we talk about those popular examples, let us first understand how a Diamond Duck actually happens.
How Does a Diamond Duck Actually Happen?
Imagine a new batsman walking out to the crease. He has not faced a single ball yet.
Now, you might wonder how a batsman can possibly get out without facing even one delivery. There are actually a few ways this can happen.
Run Out at the Non-Striker's End
One situation can occur when a wicket falls at the non-striker's end. A new batsman comes onto the field, and because of the way the previous play ended, he can find himself at the non-striker's end without having faced a ball.
Now, if he is run out at that end before facing his first delivery, he can be dismissed for a Diamond Duck.
When a Wide Changes the Situation
Another possibility is slightly different. Imagine the new batsman comes to the striker's end, but the next delivery is a wide. Since a wide does not count as a legal delivery, the batsmen can still run. If they complete a run, the new batsman can move to the non-striker's end without having faced a legal delivery.
Now, if he is dismissed at the non-striker's end before facing a legal ball, he can also end up with a Diamond Duck.
The Mankad Situation
There is another famous possibility too. A batsman standing at the non-striker's end can be run out while backing up too far before the bowler releases the ball. This is the dismissal that is popularly known as a Mankad, although under the modern Laws of Cricket it is classified as a run out.
So the basic idea is simple:
The batsman has scored 0 runs, faced 0 balls, and gets dismissed before facing his first delivery.
That's what makes a Diamond Duck so unusual.
The batsman came to the crease...
But never actually got the chance to bat.
Famous Instances of Diamond Duck in History
You might think that a Diamond Duck is an extremely rare event in cricket. And yes, it is unusual. But perhaps not as rare as many fans imagine.
In fact, more than 200 Diamond Ducks have already been recorded in men's international cricket. And the real number could be even higher.
The reason is quite simple. In the early years of international cricket, detailed ball-by-ball records were not always available. Because of that, some Diamond Ducks from the past may never have been officially recorded.
There is also an interesting piece of cricket history connected to this unusual dismissal. One of the earliest known examples in Test cricket is believed to involve South African cricketer Albert Rose-Innes during a match against England in 1889.
That means this strange form of dismissal has been part of cricket for well over a century. And even today, despite all the changes in the game, batsmen continue to find unexpected ways to be dismissed without facing a single ball.
Modern-Day Examples of Diamond Duck
You might be thinking that a Diamond Duck is extremely rare. Maybe you have never even seen one happen in a cricket match. But believe me, it is rare, but it has happened.
And the interesting part is that this has not happened only in the early days of cricket. It has happened in modern-day cricket too.
In fact, there is a good chance that one of your favourite cricketers has also experienced this unusual dismissal. Yes, even some of the biggest names in international cricket have walked back to the pavilion without facing a single ball.
And some of them may surprise you.
Josh Hazlewood – Australia
If you had to choose one Diamond Duck that perfectly explains how strange this dismissal can be, Josh Hazlewood's name would be a very good place to start.
The incident happened during Australia's ODI against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017. Australia were chasing a big target and things were not going according to plan.
But Marcus Stoinis was still there. And he was doing something extraordinary. He kept scoring.
Australia kept losing wickets around him, but Stoinis refused to give up. Eventually, Josh Hazlewood came to the crease as Australia's last batsman.
There was just one small problem.
Hazlewood never got the opportunity to face a ball.
Stoinis continued to farm the strike while Hazlewood waited at the other end. One run, another run, more runs—but Hazlewood still had not faced a delivery.
Incredibly, he remained at the crease for around 26 minutes without facing a single ball. Stoinis and Hazlewood somehow put together a 54-run partnership.
But then came the end.
Hazlewood was run out at the non-striker's end.
0 runs. 0 balls.
A perfect Diamond Duck.
And the story gets even more painful. Australia lost the match by just six runs.
Imagine being at the crease for 26 minutes, becoming part of a 54-run partnership, and still leaving the field without facing a single ball.
That is exactly how strange cricket can be.
Virat Kohli – India
Virat Kohli is another famous name associated with a Diamond Duck.
The incident happened during India's tour of Zimbabwe in 2010. Kohli had come to the crease but had not yet faced a delivery.
India were looking to build their innings, and a run was attempted. But things went wrong.
Kohli was run out before he could face his first ball. And just like that, one of India's future batting superstars had walked back to the pavilion without putting a single delivery on his bat.
0 runs. 0 balls.
It was certainly not the kind of start Kohli would have wanted. But perhaps that is what makes these dismissals so interesting.
A player can spend years building an incredible career, score thousands of runs, and still have one scorecard that simply says:
0 (0).
Rahul Dravid – India
Rahul Dravid was known for almost the opposite of this. He was the kind of batsman who loved spending time at the crease. His patience was legendary.
If Dravid walked out to bat, bowlers often knew they were going to have to work extremely hard to get him out.
But during India's 2004 Test against Pakistan in Lahore, something very unusual happened. Dravid was dismissed without facing a single delivery.
He was run out before he could even get his innings started. For a batsman whose career was built around occupying the crease, it was an especially strange way to get out.
There was no defensive shot. No edge. No lbw. No bowler celebrating after beating his bat.
Just a run out.
0 runs. 0 balls.
A Diamond Duck for one of the greatest defensive batsmen cricket has ever produced.
Ricky Ponting – Australia
Ricky Ponting was one of the most aggressive and competitive batsmen of his generation. When Ponting walked out to bat, opposition bowlers knew they could not afford to give him much room.
But even a batsman as experienced as Ponting could not escape the Diamond Duck.
During Australia's ODI against Sri Lanka in 2006, Ponting was dismissed at the non-striker's end without facing a ball.
There was no chance for him to play a cover drive. No pull shot. No hook. No trademark Ponting stroke.
He simply never got the chance.
The Australian captain was back in the pavilion with 0 runs from 0 balls.
And that is perhaps the strangest thing about a Diamond Duck.
Sometimes, a batsman's biggest problem is not the bowler.
It is simply not getting the opportunity to face one.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diamond Duck
What is a Diamond Duck in cricket?
A Diamond Duck happens when a batsman is dismissed without facing a single delivery and without scoring any runs. The most common examples involve a run out at the non-striker's end before the batsman gets the opportunity to face a ball.
What is the difference between a Golden Duck and a Diamond Duck?
A Golden Duck happens when a batsman is dismissed for 0 runs on the first ball he faces. A Diamond Duck is different because the batsman is dismissed without facing a ball at all.
In simple words, a Golden Duck means 0 runs from 1 ball, while a Diamond Duck means 0 runs from 0 balls.
Can a batsman get a Diamond Duck through a run out?
Yes. A run out is one of the most common ways a batsman can be dismissed for a Diamond Duck. If a batsman has not faced a delivery and is run out before getting the chance to face one, he can finish with 0 runs and 0 balls.
Can a Mankad result in a Diamond Duck?
Yes, it can. If a batsman is at the non-striker's end without facing a delivery and is run out while backing up too far before the bowler releases the ball, he can be dismissed for a Diamond Duck.
Is a Diamond Duck rarer than a Golden Duck?
Yes. A Golden Duck can happen whenever a batsman is dismissed on his first delivery, while a Diamond Duck requires the batsman to be dismissed without facing a delivery at all. Because of this, Diamond Ducks are much less common.
Has a famous cricketer ever been dismissed for a Diamond Duck?
Yes. Several famous international cricketers have experienced Diamond Ducks during their careers, including players such as Josh Hazlewood, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting.
Can a batsman get a Diamond Duck without being run out?
A Diamond Duck generally involves a dismissal without the batsman facing a delivery, so run out situations are the most relevant examples. The exact classification can depend on the circumstances of the dismissal and the Laws of Cricket.
Why is it called a Diamond Duck?
The term Diamond Duck is used to describe the unusual situation where a batsman is dismissed without facing a ball and without scoring. Unlike terms such as Golden Duck, the name is not based on a particular type of dismissal but on the unusual 0-ball, 0-run outcome.
Final Thoughts
A Diamond Duck is probably one of the strangest ways a batsman can leave the cricket field.
A batsman can walk out with the hope of scoring runs, but sometimes the game does not even give him the chance to face a single ball.
No boundary. No defensive shot. No chance to get settled at the crease.
Just 0 runs and 0 balls on the scorecard.
And perhaps that is what makes the Diamond Duck so interesting.
Getting out for a duck is disappointing. Getting out on the first ball is even worse.
But getting dismissed without facing a single delivery?
That is a completely different kind of cricket story.
Over the years, some of the biggest names in international cricket have experienced it.
And their stories remind us of something we often forget about cricket:
Sometimes, you don't even get the chance to play the ball before the game decides your fate.
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