Highest 3rd Wicket Partnership in ODI
A solitary player scoring the bulk of the runs, while the other batsmen getting out on regular intervals, is never a good sign for the team. A solitary batsman can never win you matches and therefore partnerships are very important for teams to dominate. Be it any format of the game, partnerships are key to scoring big totals in cricket.
An opening partnership is necessary to set the foundation for a big total, while the partnerships in the middle order help the side capitalize on the starts provided by the openers. Sometimes, when the openers fail to produce goods at the top of the order, middle-order partnership helps the side resurrect the innings and take them to a competitive total.
Over the years, we have seen a lot of good partnerships by the middle order batsmen. There have been instances when these partnerships take the team over the line. At times, when a side suffers a top-order collapse, the middle-order bail them out of the trouble and put them in a strong position.
In this article, we look at the highest partnership for the 3rd wickets in ODIs:
#5 Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers (238 Runs)
At 42 for 2 in 14 overs, South Africa didn’t like looking reaching anything past 250. However, Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers then stitched together a wonderful third-wicket partnership in the third ODI against Pakistan in 2013.
The duo paced the innings beautifully while mixing caution with aggression. Hashim Amla compiled 122 runs off 113 balls, including 9 fours and 1 six, while AB de Villiers too supported him brilliantly with 108-ball 128, a knock which was laced with 12 fours and three sixes. The duo shared a record 238-run partnership for the third wicket before Hashim Amla got out in the 45th over of the innings.
The partnership helped the side reach a mammoth 343-run total in the first innings. Pakistan, in reply, too gave a good fight but could manage 309 runs in the second innings. Shahid Afridi top-scored for them with 49-ball 88. Once he got out in the 36th over of the second innings, all hopes were put to an end for Pakistan. South Africa won that game by 34 runs.
#4 Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando (239 Runs)
At 9 for 2 in 3 overs, Sri Lanka was off to the worst possible start against West Indies in the 2nd ODI in the recent series in 2020. However, opener Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis then joined hands and stitched a record 239-run partnership for the third wicket.
The duo scored effortlessly and took Sri Lanka to a formidable total of 345 in 50 overs. Fernando scored 127 runs in 123 balls, while Mendis amassed run a ball 119.
West Indies put on a decent performance but it wasn’t going to be enough to chase such a big total. Shai Hope top-scored for them with 65-ball 51 as West Indies were folded for 184 in 39.1 overs, thereby handing 161-run victory to Sri Lanka.
#3 George Bailey and Steve Smith (242 Runs)
Riding on a swashbuckling knock from Rohit Sharma, India put on a mammoth total of 309 runs against Australia in the first ODI in 2016. The bowlers too made a good start, having got rid of both the Australian openers for just 21.
However, what followed was an absolute top-class partnership from skipper Steve Smith and George Bailey. Smith scored 149 runs off 135 balls, while G Bailey scored 112 runs off 120 balls as the duo put on a record-breaking 242-run partnership for the third wicket. The partnership eventually helped the team reach the target in 49.2 overs. Smith and Bailey’s 242-run stand is the third-highest partnership for the third wicket in ODIs.
#2 Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw (247 Runs)
After Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis got out early, opener Hashim Amla and Rilee Rossouw led South Africa’s recovery against West Indies in the 5th ODI in 2015. The duo not only bailed the team out of trouble but also recorded the second-highest for the third wicket in ODIs. Hashim Amla scored 133 runs off 105 balls, while Rossouw amassed 132 runs off 98 balls as the duo helped the team reach a mammoth 361-run total in the first innings.
West Indies mustered 230 runs in the second innings and thereby handed a 131-run victory to South Africa
#1 Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin (258 Runs)
Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin sit at the top of the table with a brilliant 258-run partnership for the third wicket against Bangladesh in 2014. From a position to 12 for 2, Bravo and Ramdin compiled a brilliant partnership to take the total to 270 before Bravo got out in the 43rd over.
Dwayne Bravo scored 124 runs off 127 balls, while Denesh Ramdin amassed 169 off 121 balls as West Indies compiled 338 runs in 50 overs. The partnership between Bravo and Ramdin stands highest for the third wicket in ODIs.
Bangladesh fell 91 runs short in pursuit of the total as they could manage 247 in the second innings.
