A good start is necessary to score big runs, especially in the fast-paced T-20 cricket. Over the years, we’ve seen the Highest opening partnerships in IPL, a number of dangerous opening pairs destroy bowlers by scoring quick runs and supporting their team in establishing a high target or winning the game while chasing.
The cash-rich IPL has witnessed some fantastic opening partnerships in 15 years, and in this article, we’ll tell you about the top five pairings that have achieved the Highest opening partnerships in IPL history.
Let us look at the Highest opening partnerships in IPL history:
5. FAF du Plessis & Shane Watson (181* runs)
In the 18th match of IPL 2020, CSK openers didn’t give a single chance to Punjab bowlers to beat them in the game as both FAF du Plessis and Shane Watson chased the 179 runs target with pure ease. Both stylish right-handed batters did a 181-run partnership for the first wicket and guide CSK to win by 10 wickets. Shane Watson, who played an 83-run knock in 53 deliveries, won the player of the match award.
4. Ruturaj Gaikwad & Devon Conway (182 runs)
After winning the toss, SRH skipper Kane Williamson put CSK in to bat first, and their openers made SRH pay from the start. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway took it slowly at first before unleashing their stroke play on the opposing bowlers. Ruturaj was unlucky not to reach a century, scoring 99 off 57 balls, while Conway remained unbeaten throughout the innings, scoring 85 off 55 balls. Both openers put up a record-breaking 182 runs for the first wicket.
3. KL & Mayank Agarwal (183 runs)
Mayank and KL Rahul combined 183 runs for the first wicket to enable the team to reach 223/2 in 20 overs against Rajasthan Royals in match no 9 of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020). While batting first, Mayank Agarwal had scored a stunning century in the first innings, scoring 106 runs off 50 balls. Rahul too played a brilliant knock of 69 runs off 54 balls. However, even after scoring 223 runs Punjab end up as a losing side as Rajasthan’s Tewatia grabbed all the attention at last when Samson got out in the first ball off the seventeenth over and Rajasthan needed 63 runs off 23 balls, Rahul Tewatia took the charge and played a sensational knock of 51 runs, including 5 sixes in the hit Cottrell’s 18th over and overall 7 to win the game.
2. Gautam Gambhir & Chris Lynn (184* runs)
Chasing the target of 184 runs against Gujarat Lions in the 3rd match of IPL 2017, the then captain of Kolkata Knight Riders Gautam Gambhir along with Chris Lynn took the whole run chase responsibility on their soldiers and did a remarkable first wicket partnership and won the game for their team with an unbeaten 184 run stand. Both chased the target in just 14.5 overs.
1. Jonny Bairstow & David Warner (185 runs)
In the 12th edition of IPL, Jonny Bairstow and David Warner left all stunned after both SRH’s openers smashed hundreds in the same game against Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore. The destructive Jonny Bairstow played a 114 runs knock in 56 balls, while Warner scored 100 runs off 55 balls. They both guided SRH to 231/2 in their 20 overs with their combined 185 runs for the first wicket. In reply, the RCB couldn’t manage to sustain the big run-chase pressure and bowled out on 113 runs.
