Top 10 Highest batting partnerships in T20Is

Big partnerships serve to exhaust and demoralize the fielding teams in addition to piling up runs on the scoreboard. In the shortest format of the game, such a partnership can take the game away from an opposition. T20 is a popular version of the game commanding massive fan-following. In 20 overs if two batsmen get on a roll, it can demoralize the opposition to no end. The format is generally played on flat batting surfaces where bowlers have difficult in keeping the runs down. Here’s a look at ten incredible and the highest partnerships in T20Is. 10. Alex Hales, Michael Lumb – 143*: England’s Alex Hales and Michael Lumb. (Photo by Marty Melville/AFP/Getty Images) The English openers easily gunned down a target of 139 set by New Zealand in 2013 in Wellington. Lumb’s unbeaten knock of 53 off 34 included 5 sixes and 1 four while Hales’ unbeaten 80 off 42 witnessed 9 fours and 4 maximums. England thereby won the 3-match series 2-1. 9. Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez – 143*: Pakistan’s captain Muhammad Hafeez (L) congratulates teammate Ahmed Shehzad. (Photo by JEKESAI NJIKIZANA/AFP/Getty Images) The Pakistani pair added an unbeaten 143 for the second wicket and helped their team to a total of 179/1 against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2013. Shehzad’s 98 off 64 included 6 sixes and 6 fours while Hafeez’s 54 off 40 included 3 fours and 2 sixes. The home team finished with 160/6 thereby losing the match as well as the series 2-0. 8. Chris Gayle, Devon Smith – 145: (Photo Source: Getty Images) The West Indian openers added 145 in the first game of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 in 2007 against South Africa in Johannesburg. Gayle made a memorable 117 off 57 balls including 10 maximums while Smith’s subdued 35 off 34 included 3 fours. The Caribbean islanders made 205/6 however it didn’t prove enough as a Herschelle Gibbs special sealed the match for the home side by 8 wickets. 7. Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene – 145: Batsmen Tillakaratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka. (Photo by Ajay Aggarwal/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) In a 2014 ICC World Twenty20 game against England, the two Sri Lankans batted brilliantly to take their team to 189/4 against England in Chittagong. Dilshan made 55 off 47 including 4 fours and 2 sixes while Mahela’s 89 off 51 featured 11 fours and 3 sixes. Despite this 145-run partnership for the 2nd wicket between Dilshan and Mahela England won the match by 6 wickets courtesy a spectacular hundred from opener Alex Hales. 6. Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan – 152: Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan, 152 runs. (© Getty Images) Hales and Morgan bettered the Dilshan-Jayawardene partnership to take their team to a remarkable win. Hales’ 116 off 64 included 11 fours and 6 sixes while Morgan’s 57 off 38 featured 7 fours and 2 sixes. England with aided by the 152 runs partnership overhauled the target in 19.2 overs and kept itself alive in the marquee event. Sri Lankan though went on to lift the cup by defeating India in the final. 5. Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels – 152: Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels. (Photo Source: ICC) West Indies pulled off the highest successful run chase in the shortest format, propelled by Chris Gayle’s 90 off 41 balls, held together by Marlon Samuels’ 60 off 39. Gayle and Samuels batted together for 152-run partnership for the 2nd wicket while Darren Sammy led his side to a series win with a game to spare against South African at the Wanderers in 2015. The target of 232 was gunned down by the visitors with 4 balls to spare. Gayle’s knock included huge 7 sixes. 4. Alex Hales, Ravi Bopara – 159: (© Getty Images) England won the one-off match against West Indies in Nottingham in 2012 by achieving a target of 173. Hales made 99 off 68 including 6 fours and 4 sixes while Bopara’s 44-ball 59 included 4 fours and 1 six. The second-wicket partnership was a superbly constructed stand by the two batsmen who played aggressive cricket. Hales’ match-winning innings was produced on his home ground. 3. Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara – 166: (Photo Source: ICC) Sri Lanka wrapped up a crushing win over West Indies in Barbados in a 2010 ICC World Twenty20 after Jayawardene’s sublime unbeaten 98 from 56 balls took them to 195 for 3. His knock included 9 fours and 4 sixes. Sangakkara made 68 off 49 featuring 5 fours and 3 sixes. This duo batted together for 166 runs during their second wicket partnership. The home side managed only 138/8 in a disappointingly lackluster batting performance. 2. Loots Bosman, Graeme Smith – 170: (© Getty Images) South African openers batted exceptional and made a partnership worth 170. Bosman scored 94 from 45 balls, including nine sixes and Graeme Smith made a statement of his own by hammering 88 from 44 balls that included 6 sixes at the Wanderers against England in 2009 in one of the most powerful displays of batting ever witnessed at international level. The home team piled up 241/6 and the visitors were never in the chase eventually finishing on 157/8. The 2-match series thereby ended 1-1. 1. Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson- 171: (Photo Source: Twitter) Two of New Zealand’s best batsmen, Williamson and Guptill combined in a clinical display of poise and timing, to gun down Pakistan’s 168 for 7 inside eighteen overs in Hamilton in 2016. Their 171-run opening stand is the highest ever for T20Is, let alone for opening pairs. The ten-wicket victory evened the series in emphatic fashion. Guptill left the field with 87 to his name while Williamson did so with a personal best of 72 – both striking at 150. All stats updated till 18th June 2016.

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