Cricket is a sport where the winning team is decided based on how many runs a side has scored at the end of their respective innings. The goal of players designated as ‘batters’ in cricket is to score runs for their side. The number of runs scored by a batter can be expressed in milestones. A duck refers to zero runs, half century means 50 runs whereas a century means 100 runs.
Getting out without scoring any runs can be embarrassing for any batter. In test cricket, each team bats twice. This means that every batter, if at all their turn comes, has the opportunity to bat twice. So if at all they have been dismissed on a duck in their first innings, batters have a chance to redeem themselves in the second innings.
The most dismal performance that a batter can put in a test match is by getting out on a duck in both innings. When this happens, it is called a pair. Furthermore, if batters get out on a duck in both innings on the first ball, then it is called a king pair. In the history of test cricket, as of 2023, 21 batters have been dismissed for a king pair.
Limited overs cricket that are recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) are One Day Internationals and T20. In both formats, each team bats for one innings each. However, in some tournaments, in case the match ends in a tie, the winner is decided by a Super Over.
When a batter is out for a duck in the regular innings and is again dismissed for a duck in the Super Over, then it is listed as a pair in limited overs cricket. As of 2023, only three batters have bagged this feat.
