**In cricket, which term describes a batter dismissed without facing a ball?**
VerifiedA Diamond Duck is one of cricket's most unfortunate dismissal types, occurring when a batter gets out without facing a single ball. This happens when a player is dismissed through a run-out while attempting to take a run off their partner's shot, or in rare cases, by being stumped or run-out during other circumstances before the ball is bowled to them.
The term belongs to cricket's colorful family of "duck" dismissals. A regular duck refers to getting out for zero runs after facing at least one ball, while a golden duck means getting out on the very first ball faced for zero runs. The Diamond Duck takes this concept further - it's the ultimate embarrassment as the batter doesn't even get the chance to face a delivery.
Most Diamond Duck dismissals occur during run-out situations. Picture this scenario: a new batter comes to the crease, their partner hits the ball and calls for a run, but due to miscommunication or a brilliant piece of fielding, the new batter is run-out before reaching the crease safely. Since they never faced a ball themselves, this counts as a Diamond Duck dismissal.
While extremely rare in professional cricket, Diamond Ducks serve as a reminder of how unpredictable and cruel the game can be. Even accomplished batters can fall victim to this dismissal through no fault of their batting technique - just poor judgment, miscommunication, or sheer bad luck in running between the wickets.
