What is a King Pair? King Pair Betting Explained

David Genge Editor

Fact checked by:
Mike Goodpaster Last Verified
26/06/2026

A King Pair is a cricket term used in the Test match format and refers to a batsman who is dismissed for no runs with the first ball they face in both innings of the match.

A batsman who is dismissed without scoring is said to be out for a duck and if the dismissal comes from the first ball the batsman faces, it is a golden duck. When a batsman who was out for a duck returns to the crease in the second innings, they are said to be ‘on a pair.’

To be dismissed for another golden duck is to record a king pair.

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How is King Pair used in Sports Betting?

To dismiss a batsman twice for no runs from the first ball bowled is a significant achievement for the bowling team and will have a major effect on the in-play betting for the rest of the match, and possibly impact future cricket betting markets, as it may call into question that player’s place in the team for upcoming matches.

Betting markets specifically for a king pair are rare, but run markets are common among sportsbooks. Betting on the top team batsman or top team bowler both come into the equation for a king pair, as a batsman dismissed for a king pair is out of the running for the former. If the same bowler dismisses the batsman each time, they are a contender for top team bowler having taken two wickets.

Over/under markets are also effected as it is possible to bet on a specific batsman - Joe Root, for example - to score over or under a set number of runs in an innings or a match. If Root was dismissed for a king pair, bets backing under the set figure would be successful.

Did you know…

The king pair is known as the worst of all batting fates a player can achieve and so far, this unwanted feat has been recorded 21 times in the history of test cricket.

The most recent player a king pair has befallen occurred in July 2018 when Bangladesh batsman Nurul Hasan who was dismissed for zero from the first ball in both innings against the West Indies.

See also

Fall of Next Wicket

Five Wicket Haul

Method of Dismissal (cricket)

Next Method of Dismissal

Next Wicket Method