Despite the limited scope of batting in a 50-over cricket match, unlike in Tests, the One Day International (ODI) format has seen some magnificent partnerships over the years.
There have been five partnerships of over 300 in ODIs, all of them forged since 1999. Three of these came from 2015, with two exceeding the 350-run mark.
Here are some details about the highest partnerships in ODIs.
Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels – 372 vs Zimbabwe, 2015
Batting first in their pool B match of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup at Canberra against Zimbabwe, West Indies were the clear favourites. However, opener Dwayne Smith was dismissed for a duck in just the second ball and Chris Gayle had to join Marlon Samuels with the score reading 0/1.
The West Indies went on to bat the entire 50 overs. Chris Gayle smashed 215 runs off just 147 balls, hitting 16 sixes, and was dismissed on the last ball of the innings as went for what would have been a record number of maximums by a single player in a match. Marlon Samuels, meanwhile, scored a relatively sedate 133 not out in 156 balls.
West Indies posted a mammoth 372/2 with Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels recording the highest partnership in ODI to date with 372 runs. The Windies went on to win the match by 89 runs (D/L method).
John Campbell and Shai Hope – 365 vs Ireland, 2019
The second-highest partnership in ODIs is, quite unsurprisingly, attributed to West Indies again. This time, it was in Dublin against Ireland in a tri-nation series in 2019. West Indies were batting first with John Campbell and Shai Hope as the opening pair. Ireland got their first wicket only in the 48th over and by that time West Indies had already put up 365 runs on the board.
While John Campbell scored 179 runs, hitting 15 boundaries and six sixes, in 137 balls, Shai Hope whacked 22 boundaries and two maximums to score 170 runs (152 balls). West Indies put up 381/3 and dismissed Ireland for 185.
Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid – 331 vs New Zealand, 1999
India’s highest partnership in ODI was forged by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid during New Zealand's tour of India in 1999. After the Kiwis took a 1-0 lead in the first ODI, India were looking to bounce back in the second ODI in Hyderabad. Batting first, Sourav Ganguly was dismissed in the second over when Rahul Dravid joined captain Sachin Tendulkar at the crease.
The duo kept batting till the 48th over, forging a partnership of 331 runs, following which Rahul Dravid was dismissed for a run-a-ball 153, his highest ODI score. Sachin Tendulkar remained unbeaten at the end with 186, which had 20 boundaries and three sixes. India scored 376/2 and wrapped up New Zealand for 202 runs.
ODI partnerships record progression
The first-ever 200-run partnership in ODI was forged in 1979 between West Indies’ Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards against Australia in Melbourne. It was only the 78th ODI. Their second-wicket partnership of 205 runs helped their side reach 271/2. West Indies won the Benson & Hedges World Series Cup match by 80 runs.
It wasn’t until 1999 that the first 300-run partnership was forged. It was India at the helm then with Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid putting on 318 for the second wicket against Sri Lanka at Taunton during the ICC World Cup.
India’s first 200-run partnership came in 1996 against Pakistan at Sharjah. Sachin Tendulkar and Navjot Singh Sidhu (both scored tons) put on a 231-run stand for the second wicket to let India past the 300-run mark for the first time in their ODI history.
Here’s how the partnership records have progressed in ODIs.
205, Desmond Haynes and Viv Richards, 2nd wicket, WI vs AUS, Melbourne, 1979
221, Gordon Greenidge and Viv Richards, 2nd wicket, WI vs IND, Jamshedpur, 1983
224*, Dean Jones and Allan Border, 3rd wicket, AUS vs SL, Adelaide, 1985
263, Aamir Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq, 2nd wicket, PAK vs NZ, 1994
275*, Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja, 4th wicket, IND vs ZIM, Cuttack, 1998
318, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, 2nd wicket, IND vs SL, Taunton, 1999
331, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, 2nd wicket, IND vs NZ, Hyderabad, 1999
372, Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels, 2nd wicket, WI vs ZIM, Canberra, 2015
Highest partnerships in ODIs
| Players | Partnerships | Wicket | Match |
| Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels | 372 | 2nd | West Indies vs Zimbabwe, 2015 |
| John Campbell and Shai Hope | 365 | 1st | West Indies vs Ireland, 2019 |
| Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid | 331 | 2nd | India vs New Zealand, 1999 |
| Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid | 318 | 2nd | India vs Sri Lanka, 1999 |
| Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman | 304 | 1st | Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, 2018 |
| Tamim Iqbal and Liton Das | 292 | 1st | Bangladesh vs Zimbabwe, 2020 |
| Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli | 290 | 2nd | India vs Bangladesh, 2022 |
| Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya | 286 | 1st | Sri Lanka v England, 2006 |
| David Warner and Travis Head | 284 | 1st | Australia vs Pakistan, 2017 |
| Quinton de Kock and Hashim Amla | 282* | 1st | South Africa vs Bangladesh, 2017 |
| Upul Tharanga and Tilakratne Dilshan | 282 | 1st | Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 2011 |
Highest partnerships in ODIs by each wicket
| Players | Wicket | Partnerships | Match |
| John Campbell and Shai Hope | 1st | 365 | West Indies vs Ireland, 2019 |
| Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels |
2nd | 372 | West Indies vs Zimbabwe, 2015 |
| Darren Bravo and Denesh Ramdin |
3rd | 258 | West Indies vs Bangladesh, 2014 |
| Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja |
4th | 275* | India vs Zimbabwe, 1998 |
| David Miller and JP Duminy |
5th | 256* | South Africa vs Zimbabwe, 2015 |
| Grant Elliot and Luke Ronchi |
6th | 267* | New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 2015 |
| Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid |
7th | 177 | England vs New Zealand, 2015 |
| Justin Kemp and Andrew Hall |
8th | 138* | South Africa vs India, 2006 |
| Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga |
9th | 132 | Sri Lanka vs Australia, 2010 |
| Vivian Richards and Michael Holding |
10th | 106* | West Indies vs England, 1984 |
Feature Image Courtesy: AFP/ Manan Vatsyayana
