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T20 leagues from all over the world have revolutionalised cricket. These leagues make the sample size of T20 records a lot larger. Players from different countries play together and form great partnerships. But still, often many records are made and broken in international cricket. Batters have dominated the T20 landscape be it in international matches or franchise-based leagues. In this article, we are going to take a look at one such batting record. Here is a look at the highest opening partnerships in T20s.
Highest opening partnerships in T20s
| Partners | Opposition | Runs | Venue | Match Date |
| Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani (Afghanistan) | Ireland | 236 | Dehradun | 23rd February, 2019 |
| Aaron Finch and D’Arcy Short (Australia) | Zimbabwe | 223 | Harare | 3rd July, 2018 |
| Sabawoon Davizi and Dylan Steyn (Czech Republic) | Bulgaria | 220 | Marsa | 12th May, 2022 |
| Avinash Pai and Louis Bruce (Gibraltar) | Bulgaria | 213* | Marsa | 13th May, 2022 |
| Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul (Lucknow Super Giants) | Kolkata Knight Riders | 210* | DY Patil | 18th May, 2022 |
| Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt (Lahore Whites) | Islamabad | 209* | Rawalpindi | 24th November, 2017 |
| Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond (Kent) | Essex | 207 | Chelmsford | 17th August, 2017 |
| Marcus Stoinis and Hilton Cartright (Melbourne Stars) | Sydney Sixers | 207 | Melbourne | 12th January, 2020 |
| Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam (Pakistan) | England | 203* | Karachi | 22nd September, 2022 |
| Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short (Hobart Hurricanes) | Adelaide Strikers | 203 | Adelaide | 26th January 2020 |
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Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani (236 runs)
Afghan openers Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani rank first in the list for the highest partnerships in T20s. Zazai was the star performer of the evening as he struck the second-highest individual score in T20Is. The opener scored 162 runs in just 62 balls. During the 236-run opening stand, Usman Ghani scored 73 runs in 48 balls while Zazai went all guns blazing and scored 145 runs in 57 balls. Thanks to the record-breaking opening stand, Afghanistan defeated Ireland by 84 runs.
Aaron Finch and D’Arcy Short (223 runs)
Despite the highest individual T20I score from Aaron Finch, the opening stand between the Australian skipper and D’Arcy Short is not the highest individual T20 opening partnership. Finch scored 172 runs in 76 balls, making it seem like he was playing on a different surface altogether. During the 223-run opening stand, Finch scored 168 runs in 74 balls while Short scored 46 runs in 42 balls. Australia defeated Zimbabwe by 100 runs.
Sabawoon Davizi and Dylan Steyn (220 runs)
Sabawoon Davizi and Dyland Steyn from the Czech Republic rank third on this list. Interestingly it is one of the few rare occasions where two players have scored centuries in a T20I match. Davizi remained not out and scored 115 runs in just 59 balls while Steyn scored 106 runs in just 55 balls. Thanks to their partnership, the Czech Republic went on to defeat Bulgaria by 88 runs.
Avinash Pai and Louis Bruce (213 runs)
Once again it was Bulgaria who were on the receiving end of a mammoth opening partnership. This time around it was more Bulgaria’s fault to concede such a massive total. Gibraltar’s skipper, Avinash Pai and Louis Bruce shared a 213-run stand for the first wicket. Pai scored 86 runs off 59 while Bruce scored 99 runs in 63 balls. Both batters remained not out till the end and were certainly helped by the 28 extras from Bulgaria’s bowlers. In a closely fought encounter, Gibraltar defeated Bulgaria by 21 runs.
Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul (210 runs)
Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul hold the record for the biggest first-wicket partnership in the Indian Premier League. The duo shared a 210-run stand but it took a humungous solo effort from de Kock to reach the record total. The South African batter scored 140 runs in just 70 balls hitting 10 sixes and fours each. KL Rahul on the opposite end scored 68 runs in 21 balls. Kolkata Knight Riders put up a brave fight and lost the match by just two runs.
Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt (209 runs)
Just like De Kock and KL Rahul’s partnership, it was again a one-man show this time around by Kamran Akmal. Lahore Whites openers, Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt shared a 209-run opening stand. Akmal scored 150 runs in just 71 balls hitting 14 fours and 12 sixes while skipper, Butt only managed to score 55 runs in 49 balls. Islamabad on the other hand were bundled out for 100 runs losing the match 109 runs.
Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond (207 runs)
Kent openers, Joe Denly and Daniel Bell-Drummond shared a double-century opening stand which is a record in the NatWest T20 Blast (now known as Vitality T20 Blast). During the 207-run stand, Denly was the star performer scoring 127 runs in 67 balls while Drummond contributed 76 runs in 46 balls during the partnership. Kent ended up with a score of 221 runs on the board in the first innings. Essex in reply, scored 210 runs and lost the match by 11 runs.
Marcus Stoinis and Hilton Cartwright (207 runs)
Marcus Stoinis went all guns blazing during a Big Bash League match against the Sydney Sixers. Joining Stoinis was Hilton Cartwright who played a great second fiddle to the Australian all-rounder in the 207-run opening stand. During the partnership, Stoinis scored 140 runs in 76 balls while Cartwright scored 59 runs in 40 balls. The Melbourne Stars scored 219 runs in their 20 overs and won the match by 44 runs.
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam (203 runs)
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam’s opening stand may look ordinary among the other stands but the Pakistani duo put on a record stand. The 203-run partnership is the highest while chasing. England scored 199 runs in the first innings. In reply, Rizwan and Azam chased down the total in the final with three balls to spare. Rizwan scored 88 runs in 51 balls while Babar scored 110 runs in just 66 balls.
Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short (203 runs)
Hobart Hurricanes’ openers, Matthew Wade and D’Arcy Short played with immense control and still bludgeoned the Adelaide Strikers’ bowling attack. Wade made a century and scored 120 runs in 55 balls during the partnership while Short scored 72 runs in 55 balls. Chasing 218, Adelaide Strikers started well but eventually lost the match by 10 runs.