Top 6 Partnerships In One Day International Cricket

Partnership in cricket means the sum of the number of runs scored by the pair of batsmen on the field (one pair at a time). The partnership comes to an end when one of the batsmen is dismissed or retired.

On the cricket field, a team might seem to be losing the match but in reality, the batting team needs a good partnership at the right time to bring back all the hopes of winning. That is why we can say that partnership is one of the secret weapons for any army to win the battle in the cricket world.

Here we look at the list of the top six partnerships in International cricket:-

– by Rishita Patnaik

1. CH GAYLE AND MN SAMUELS – 372 RUNS, WI vs ZIM, WORLD CUP 2015, Canberra

A record partnership between Gayle and Samuels crushed Zimbabwe in the Group B match in the World Cup 2015 tournament. This partnership witnessed the fastest ODI double hundred scored by Gayle (215), Gayle registering the record for being the first non-Indian to score a double hundred, Samuels’s highest then ODI score (133*) and the mixed emotions experienced by the team for such a huge achievement.

This partnership of 372 runs was a second wicket partnership. Gayle scored 215 off 147 balls which includes 10 fours and 16 sixes and Samuels scored 133* off 156 balls which includes 11 fours and 3 sixes. The match closed down due to interruption of rain and was declared that West Indies won the match by 73 runs as per D/L method.

2. SACHIN TENDULKAR AND RAHUL DRAVID- 331 RUNS, IND vs. NZ, 2^ND ODI, 1999, HYDERABAD

Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid’s partnership of 331 runs against New Zealand was the highest partnership record for any wicket till Chris and Samuels’s partnership of 372 runs crossed this record achievement. This partnership witnessed both Sachin and Dravid scoring their then highest ODI scores which gathered plenty runs on the board.

This was the second ODI of the New Zealand tour of India ODI series in which Sachin scored 186 off 150 balls that includes 20 fours and 3 sixes. Dravid scored 153 off 153 balls that included 15 fours and 2 sixes. This was a second wicket partnership. New Zealand was all out for 202 and India won this match by 174 runs.

3. GANGULY AND DRAVID- 318 RUNS, IND vs. SRI LANKA, WORLD CUP 1999, TAUNTON

Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid garnered a partnership of 318 runs in the 21^st match of the ICC World Cup 1999 because of which India was able to put a huge score of 373/6 on board. It was then the highest ever score of India in World Cup Tournaments. Ganguly scored 183 off 158 balls which includes 17 fours and 7 sixes. Dravid scored 145 off 129 balls which includes 17 fours and 1 six.

Ganguly’s 183 off 158 balls was then the second-best score achieved by a batsman (just behind Gary Christen’s 188*) in the world cup history. Sri Lanka was all out for 216 and India won the match by 157 runs.

4. UPUL THARANGA AND SANATH JAYASURIYA- 286 RUNS, SRI LANKA vs. ENG, 5^TH ODI,2006, LEEDS

Tharanga and Jayasuriya’s partnership of 286 runs against England was scored in the 5^th ODI of the SRI LANKA tour of England ODI series which helped Sri Lanka to whitewash England with 5-0 tally. Tharanga scored 102 off 109 balls which includes 14 fours and 1 six.

Jayasuriya scored 152 off 99 balls which includes 20 fours and 4 sixes. Runs put on the board by England were being chased by Sri Lanka at a high speed and Sri Lanka won the match by 8 wickets with 75 balls remaining in the innings.

5. DAVID WARNER AND TRAVIS HEAD- 284 RUNS, AUS vs. PAK, 5^TH ODI, 2017, ADELAIDE

The partnership of 284 runs sewed by Warner and Head at the Oval against Pakistan is the highest ever ODI partnership for Australia. The timing of this record was apt as Australia was enjoying their national holiday on the occasion of Australia Day and this partnership made it even more special.

This partnership is the second highest opening partnership in the ODI world records. Warner scored 178 off 128 balls which includes 19 fours and 5 sixes. Head scored 128 off 137 balls which includes 9 fours and 3 sixes. Pakistan was all out for 312 and Australia won the match by 57 runs.

6. QUINTON De KOCK AND HASHIM AMLA- 282*, SA vs. BAN, 1^ST ODI, 2017, KIMBERLY

De Kock and Amla’s partnership of 282 helped South Arica to achieve a 10 wicket victory against Bangladesh which was the biggest win ever for a 10 wicket victory for South Africa in ODI history. De Kock scored 168* off 145 balls which includes 21 fours and 2 sixes.

Amla scored 110* off 112 balls which includes 8 fours. In this first ODI of the Bangladesh tour of South Africa ODI series, Bangladesh batted first and put a below-par score of 278/7 and the hosts chased the target of 279 by scoring 282 without losing any wicket and won the match by 10 wickets with 43 balls remaining in the innings.

– by Rishita Patnaik