Top 10: Highest Opening Partnership in T20 World Cup History

Openers set a tone for the team; their performance plays a huge role in a team’s win. In the history of the T20 World Cup, we have witnessed some great opening partnerships.

In this article, we will talk about the Top Ten Openers Partnership in T20 WC History.

10. Aqib Ilyas and Jatinder Singh (Oman) – 131* runs against PNG, 2021

Aqib Ilyas and Jatinder Singh, the openers of Oman, helped their team register a massive win over Papua New Guinea at the Al Amerat Cricket Ground Oman Cricket in match 1 of the 2021 T20 World Cup. Oman won the toss and asked PNG to bat first, and they scored 129/9 in 20 overs, with contributions from captain Assad Vala and Charles Amini.

In reply, Oman’s openers put up an unbeaten stand of 131 runs. Aqib Ilyas scored 50* off 43 balls, and Jatinder Singh played the role of an aggressor; he scored 73* off 42 balls.

9. Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher (West Indies) – 133 runs against Australia, 2009

In the 2009 T20 World Cup Match 3, West Indies chased down the target of 170 runs with 25 balls remaining against Australia at the Kennington Oval, London. Australia, batting first, Scored 169 runs in 20 overs; David Warner top-scored for the Aussies with his knock of 63 runs from 53 deliveries.

West Indies openers in the run chase stitched an opening partnership of 133 runs. Andre Fletcher scored 53 runs in the opening partnership, and Chris Gayle went on to score 88 off 50 balls, Ensuring the win for West Indies.

8. Shane Watson and David Warner (Australia) – 133 runs against India, 2012

Australia was facing India in match 16 of the T20 World Cup 2012 at the R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, where Shane Watson and David Warner’s opening stand of 133 runs made the game one-sided and in complete favour of the Aussies, who chased down the total in 14.5 overs. India’s batting first failed to put up a great score; They ended with just 140 runs on the board with a valuable contribution from Suresh Raina, who scored 26 runs from 19 balls while batting at 6 for India.

The Australian openers scored 133 runs in 13.3 overs, Warner contributed 68 runs, and Watson scored 63 runs. India managed to take only Watson’s wicket and lose the match by 9 wickets.

7. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag (India) – 136 runs against England, 2007

Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag put up an opening stand of 136 runs against England at the Kingsmead, Durban, in match 21 of the inaugural T20 World in 2007. India batting first put up a total of 218 runs on the scoreboard. Sehwag smashed 68 runs from 52 balls in the partnership before getting dismissed by Chris Tremlett.

England lost the match by 18 runs. Irfan Pathan picked up 3 wickets, and RP Singh took two wickets.

6. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma (India) – 140 runs against Afghanistan, 2021

In the ICC T20 World Cup 2021, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma put up an opening stand of 140 runs against Afghanistan at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, in match number 33. In the partnership of 140 runs, Rohit scored 74 runs from 47 balls, and KL Rahul contributed with 65 runs off 43 balls.

Afghanistan failed to chase the target. They lost the match by a massive margin of 66 runs; with the ball, Mohhamad Shami took 3 wickets, and Ravichandran Ashwin took 2 wickets.

5. Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt (Pakistan) – 142 runs against Bangladesh, 2010

Pakistan won their first match of the 2010 edition against Bangladesh at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia, after Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt put up an opening stand of 142 runs. The Wicket Keeper Batter contributed 73 runs in the partnership, and Butt contributed 69 runs.

Bangladesh lost the match by 21 runs despite Mohammad Ashraful scoring 65 runs and Shakib contributing 47 runs from 31 balls. Mohammad Sami took 3, and Mohammad Amir took 2 wickets, Helping Pak to win the match.

4. Chris Gayle and Devon Smith (West Indies) – 145 runs against South Africa, 2007

Chris Gayle lit up the inaugural T20 World Cup’s first match with his century against South Africa; West Indies scored 205 runs in their 20 overs with Gayle’s hundred and the opening partnership of 145 runs, which took place between Chris Gayle and Devon Smith.

Smith, although in the partnership, contributed only 35 runs, but this is one of the most extensive opening partnerships in the T20 World Cup history. West Indies lost the match by 8 wickets as South Africa chased the target in just 17.4 overs; Herschelle Gibbs top-scored with his knock of 90* off 55 balls.

3. Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 152* runs against India, 2021

Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam were the heroes of Pakistan’s first win over India in the T20 World Cup history; their opening partnership of 152* runs made Pakistan win. Captain Babar scored 68 off 52 balls, and Mohammad Rizwan contributed 79 runs from 53 balls.

India was asked to bat first. Shaheen Shah Afridi took 3 wickets, and for India, only Virat Kohli stood up with his knock of 57 runs from 49 balls.

2. Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Afghanistan) – 154 runs against Uganda, Providence, 2024

Afghanistan’s openers Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz stitched an opening stand of 154 runs against Uganda at the Providence Stadium, Guyana, in match 5 of the T20 World Cup 2024. Ibrahim contributed 70 runs from 46 balls in the partnership, and the wicketkeeper batter contributed 76 runs from 42 balls in this opening partnership.

1. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales (England) – 170* runs against India, 2022

In the T20 World Cup 2022, England beat India by 10 wickets in the semi-final at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales put up an unbeaten opening stand of 170* runs; the English Captain scored 80* runs off 49 balls, and the former opener contributed 86* runs from 47 deliveries. England chased down the total in the 16th over of the innings.

England won the toss and elected to field first, India batting first scored 168 runs; All-rounder Hardik Pandya played a superb knock of 63 runs from just 33 balls, smashing 5 sixes and 4 boundaries. Chris Jordan picked up 3 wickets for England. He took all three big wickets, sending the captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya back to the pavilion.

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