Highest Runs Partnership in T20 Cricket
Indian Premier League is hailed as the biggest T20 franchise tournament in the world. Started in 2008, IPL has now become the third most expensive sports property in the world. The introduction has Indian Premier League has helped a lot in giving T20 format a separate identity. In a very short span of time, T20 cricket has now become the most popular format of the game in the world.
In a very little span of time, T20 cricket has gained prominence in world cricket. A lot of other nations do look up to the sport, courtesy a transition of focus from 5-day Tests to the 3-hour game.
For a team to win a game, a lot has to do with stitching great partnerships. Though, there only 20 overs to play, the relevance of partnerships hasn’t seen a decline. A great partnership will help the team put on huge totals on the board. Also, in pursuit of big totals, a partnership is what can take the team over the line.
In this article, we look at the top 5 Highest Runs Partnership in T20:
#5 Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer (213 Runs)
Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer have recorded the fifth-highest run partnership during the game between Mumbai and Sikkim in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The duo added 213 runs for the third wicket, helping the team to a mammoth total of 258 runs in 20 overs.
Shreyas Iyer scored a sensational 147-run knock off just 55 balls, while Suryakumar Yadav too played a handy knock of 63 runs off 33 balls. Sikkim, in reply, could only muster 104 runs in the second innings.
#4 Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers (215 Runs)
RCB two biggest stars, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers once produced an outstanding partnership against Mumbai Indians in 2015. The dup amassed 215 together for the first second wicket and thereby helped the team reach a massive 235 run total in the first innings.
Virat Kohli scored 82 runs off 50 balls, while AB de Villiers smashed 133 runs off just 59 balls. Mumbai Indians showed a great fight but ended up falling short of 39 runs in the end.
#3 A Finch and D Short (223 Runs)
Australia’s skipper, Aaron Finch and D’Arcy Short hold the record for scoring the third-highest partnership in T20 cricket. They achieved the feat in a T20 match against Zimbabwe. D Short played as a second fiddle as Finch went on a carnage, scoring 172 runs off just 76 balls. He hit 16 fours and 10 sixes en-route to his match-winning knock.
Zimbabwe had no answer to such a huge total posted by Aussies as they could only score 129 runs in the second innings.
#2. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers (229 Runs)
At number two spot, the world-class duo, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, once again, stands tall. The duo’s 229-run stand for the second wicket against Gujarat Lions in 2016 was a treat to watch. Virat Kohli notched 109 runs off 55 deliveries, while AB de Villiers amassed 189 off 52 as the duo powered the team to a massive 248 run total.
Gujarat Lions in reply succumbed to just 104 in the second innings. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers’ 229-run partnership sits second in the list of highest runs partnership in T20 cricket.
#1 Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani (236 Runs)
The epic 236-run partnership between Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani made the former an overnight star. The Southpaw notched 162 runs off just 62 balls. He hit as many as 16 sixes during the course of his innings. His ally, Usman Ghani too played a vital 62-run knock off 48 balls as Afghanistan posted 278 runs in the 20 overs.
This is still the highest ever total posted in T20 cricket history. The Afghanistan duo’s partnership for the opening wicket also sits at the top in the list of highest run partnership in T20 cricket.