Highest 2nd Wicket Partnership in ODI
When a team loses the first wicket early in the innings, the 2nd wicket partnership becomes the foundation for rebuilding.
The batsmen at the crease need to establish a steady partnership, ensuring that they not only survive the initial pressure but also start accumulating runs.
It aims to nullify the advantage gained by the bowling side with the early dismissal and helps the team regain control of the game.
The history of ODI cricket has witnessed so many great second wicket partnerships and the record of the highest 2nd wicket partnership in ODI is a whopping 372 runs!
This record belongs to Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels from the West Indies team. They put on this massive score against Zimbabwe in 2015.
In this article, we will share the top 10 highest 2nd wicket partnerships in ODI cricket history.
From the Caribbean carnage of Gayle and Samuels to the Dravid-Tendulkar symphony, these partnerships showcase the power of teamwork, the elegance of strokeplay, and the sheer audacity of defying the bowlers.
Highest 2nd Wicket Partnership in ODI | Top 10
Here is the detailed overview of the top 10 highest 2nd wicket partnerships in ODI cricket History.
1. Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels (West Indies) – 372 Runs Partnership
Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels of the West Indies put on a mammoth 372 runs against Zimbabwe in Canberra on February 24, 2015.
The West Indies won the toss and elected to bat first. After losing Dwayne Smith early, Gayle and Samuels took over the show, completely dismantling the Zimbabwean bowling attack.
Gayle scored 215 runs while Samuels contributed 133 runs to their team’s total of 372 for 2 wickets.
In reply, Zimbabwe struggled to chase down the massive target, eventually falling short by 73 runs via the Duckworth-Lewis method.
2. Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (India) – 331 Runs Partnership
Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid added 331 runs for India against New Zealand in Hyderabad on November 8, 1999.
The partnership started with a cautious approach, building a solid foundation as they navigated the early overs.
Once settled, they began to unleash their strokes, finding the boundaries with ease and dispatching the bowlers with disdain.
Tendulkar scored 186 runs while Dravid chipped in with 153 runs as India reached a total of 376 for 2 wickets.
he New Zealanders were never in the hunt, succumbing to the pressure of the massive target and eventually falling short by a huge margin of 174 runs.
3. Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid (India) – 318 Runs Partnership
On May 26, 1999, at Taunton, England, in the ICC World Cup, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid carved their names into the record books with a mammoth 318-run partnership.
Their partnership took shape meticulously, starting with cautious build-up in the early overs.
As they gained confidence, they began to unleash their strokes, finding the boundaries with increasing ease. The Sri Lankan bowlers were left helpless as the runs piled on relentlessly.
Ganguly scored 183 runs while Dravid scored 145 runs as India posted a total of 373 for 6 wickets.
Sri Lanka couldn’t muster a fight against the massive target, eventually falling short by a convincing margin of 157 runs.
The Indian bowlers capitalized on the demoralized Sri Lankan batsmen, securing a comfortable victory.
4. Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli (India) – 290 Runs Partnership
Ishan Kishan and Virat Kohli’s 290 runs partnership for India against Bangladesh in Chattogram on December 10, 2022, comes in at number 4.
Kishan was in a class of his own. He smashed the fastest double century in ODI history, reaching the landmark in just 126 balls.
His innings was a display of raw power and audacity, peppered with 24 fours and 10 sixes.
He danced down the wicket, clearing the ropes with disdain, sending the Bangladeshi bowlers into despair.
Kohli provided the perfect anchor to Kishan’s hurricane. He played a composed innings, reaching his 72nd international century (113 off 85 balls) with trademark elegance and precision.
Kishan’s dismissal shortly after his double ton couldn’t dampen the Indian momentum.
The middle order chipped in with valuable contributions, pushing the final score to a mammoth 409 for 8 wickets, the highest ever posted by India against Bangladesh.
In reply, the Bangladeshi batsmen were never in the hunt, succumbing to the pressure of the chase and eventually falling short by a substantial margin of 227 runs.
5. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand) – 273 Runs* Partnership
Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra of New Zealand put together 273* runs against England in Ahmedabad on October 5, 2023.
New Zealand lost Will Young for a duck in the second over, but Conway and Ravindra steadied the ship with a cautious start.
Soon, they began to unleash their strokes, finding the boundaries with increasing ease. The English bowlers were left helpless as the runs piled on relentlessly.
Conway scored 152 runs while Ravindra scored 123 runs as New Zealand reached a total of 283 for 1 wicket.
6. Aamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) – 263 Runs Partnership
Aamer Sohail and Inzamam-ul-Haq of Pakistan scored 263 runs against New Zealand in Sharjah on April 20, 1994.
Their partnership was a masterclass in building an innings, pacing themselves, and capitalizing on every opportunity.
The Sharjah crowd witnessed a true spectacle of batting dominance, with boundaries raining down and the atmosphere electric.
Sohail scored 134 runs while Inzamam contributed 137 runs as Pakistan reached a total of 328 for 2 wickets.
Pakistan comfortably won the match by 62 runs. New Zealand could only manage 266/9 in reply.
7. David Warner and Steve Smith (Australia) – 260 Runs Partnership
David Warner and Steve Smith of Australia scored 260 runs against Afghanistan in Perth on March 4, 2015.
Their partnership started with a cautious approach, navigating the early overs with respect.
Once settled, they began to unleash their strokes, the boundaries flowing freely as they exploited the gaps in the Afghan field.
Warner scored 178 runs while Smith contributed 95 runs as Australia reached a total of 417 for 6 wickets.
In reply, Afghanistan were never in the hunt. The pressure of the chase and the sheer size of the target proved too much to handle.
They succumbed to the Australian bowling attack, eventually falling short by a massive margin of 275 runs.
8. Saleem Elahi and Abdul Razzaq (Pakistan) – 257 Runs Partnership
Saleem Elahi and Abdul Razzaq of Pakistan scored 257 runs against South Africa in Gqeberha on December 11, 2002.
The stage was set for a thrilling encounter, with Pakistan needing to bounce back after losing the first ODI.
Elahi and Razzaq, two talented batsmen with contrasting styles, but a shared determination to win.
Their partnership started cautiously, respecting the early swing of the South African bowlers.
They navigated the first few overs without much fuss, laying a solid foundation for the innings to come. Once settled, they began to unleash their strokes.
Elahi scored 135 runs while Razzaq contributed 112 runs as Pakistan reached a total of 335 for 6 wickets. Pakistan comfortably won the match by 182 runs.
9. Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting (Australia) – 252 Runs* Partnership
Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting of Australia scored 252 runs against England in Centurion on October 2, 2009.
Their contrasting styles perfectly complemented each other. Ponting anchored the partnership, ensuring a steady flow of runs.
Watson, fueled by his aggressive intent, capitalized on every scoring opportunity, preventing any pressure from building.
They ran the singles with precision, rotated the strike effortlessly, and punished anything loose with clinical efficiency.
Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting of Australia scored 252 runs against England in Centurion on October 2, 2009.
Their contrasting styles perfectly complemented each other. Ponting anchored the partnership, ensuring a steady flow of runs.
Watson, fueled by his aggressive intent, capitalized on every scoring opportunity, preventing any pressure from building.
They ran the singles with precision, rotated the strike effortlessly, and punished anything loose with clinical efficiency.
10. Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott (England) – 250 Runs Partnership
Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott of England scored 250 runs against Bangladesh in Birmingham on July 12, 2010.
Strauss known for his elegant strokeplay and composure, played a dominant innings. He punished anything loose with graceful drives and flicks, finding the boundaries with ease.
Trott lived up to his nickname, anchoring the partnership with a solid 110 runs. He navigated the early overs with caution, then unleashed his trademark patience and shot selection, ensuring a consistent flow of runs.
England reached a total of 347 for 7 wickets. In reply, Bangladesh never came close to chasing down the imposing target.
The pressure of the mammoth total and the confidence-boosting partnership proved too much to handle.
They succumbed to the English bowling attack, eventually falling short by a convincing margin of 144 runs.
List of All the Highest 2nd Wicket Partnerships in ODI Cricket History
Sr. No | Partners | Runs | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
1 | Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels | 372 | West Indies | v Zimbabwe | Canberra | 24-Feb-15 |
2 | Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid | 331 | India | v New Zealand | Hyderabad (Deccan) | 8-Nov-99 |
3 | Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid | 318 | India | v Sri Lanka | Taunton | 26-May-99 |
4 | Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli | 290 | India | v Bangladesh | Chattogram | 10-Dec-22 |
5 | Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra | 273* | New Zealand | v England | Ahmedabad | 5-Oct-23 |
6 | Aamer Sohail, Inzamam-ul-Haq | 263 | Pakistan | v New Zealand | Sharjah | 20-Apr-94 |
7 | David Warner, Steve Smith | 260 | Australia | v Afghanistan | Perth | 4-Mar-15 |
8 | Saleem Elahi, Abdul Razzaq | 257 | Pakistan | v South Africa | Gqeberha | 11-Dec-02 |
9 | Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting | 252* | Australia | v England | Centurion | 2-Oct-09 |
10 | Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott | 250 | England | v Bangladesh | Birmingham | 12-Jul-10 |
11 | Alex Hales, Joe Root | 248 | England | v Pakistan | Nottingham | 30-Aug-16 |
12 | HM Amla, F du Plessis | 247 | South Africa | v Ireland | Canberra | 3-Mar-15 |
13 | RG Sharma, V Kohli | 246 | India | v West Indies | Guwahati | 21-Oct-18 |
14 | SR Tendulkar, SC Ganguly | 244 | India | v Namibia | Pietermaritzburg | 23-Feb-03 |
15 | SC Ganguly, R Dravid | 236 | India | v Sri Lanka | Nagpur | 22-Mar-99 |
16 | SR Tendulkar, NS Sidhu | 231 | India | v Pakistan | Sharjah | 15-Apr-96 |
17 | RG Sharma, V Kohli | 230 | India | v New Zealand | Kanpur | 29-Oct-17 |
18 | JF Kloppenburg, KJJ van Noortwijk | 228 | Netherlands | v Namibia | Bloemfontein | 3-Mar-03 |
19 | AC Gilchrist, RT Ponting | 225 | Australia | v England | Melbourne | 15-Dec-02 |
20 | PD Salt, DJ Malan | 222 | England | v Netherlands | Amstelveen | 17-Jun-22 |
21 | CG Greenidge, IVA Richards | 221 | West Indies | v India | Jamshedpur | 7-Dec-83 |
22 | Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar | 220 | Bangladesh | v Zimbabwe | Chattogram | 26-Oct-18 |
23 | ME Waugh, RT Ponting | 219 | Australia | v Zimbabwe | Delhi | 11-Apr-98 |
24 | ML Hayden, RT Ponting | 219 | Australia | v India | Visakhapatnam | 3-Apr-01 |
25 | RG Sharma, V Kohli | 219 | India | v Sri Lanka | Colombo (RPS) | 31-Aug-17 |
26 | Karim Sadiq, Mohammad Shahzad | 218* | Afghanistan | v Scotland | Ayr | 16-Aug-10 |
27 | SD Hope, SO Hetmyer | 218 | West Indies | v India | Chennai | 15-Dec-19 |
28 | PR Stirling, A Balbirnie | 214 | Ireland | v England | Southampton | 4-Aug-20 |
29 | RG Sharma, SS Iyer | 213 | India | v Sri Lanka | Mohali | 13-Dec-17 |
30 | HDRL Thirimanne, KC Sangakkara | 212* | Sri Lanka | v England | Wellington | 1-Mar-15 |
31 | S Dhawan, V Kohli | 212 | India | v Australia | Canberra | 20-Jan-16 |
32 | TM Dilshan, KC Sangakkara | 210* | Sri Lanka | v Bangladesh | Melbourne | 26-Feb-15 |
33 | G Kirsten, ND McKenzie | 209 | South Africa | v Kenya | Cape Town | 22-Oct-01 |
34 | SJ Modani, MD Patel | 209 | U.S.A. | v Oman | Pearland | 8-Jun-22 |
35 | RG Sharma, V Kohli | 207 | India | v Australia | Perth | 12-Jan-16 |
36 | Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan | 207 | Bangladesh | v West Indies | Providence | 22-Jul-18 |
37 | DL Haynes, IVA Richards | 205 | West Indies | v Australia | Melbourne | 9-Dec-79 |
38 | Mohsin Khan, Zaheer Abbas | 205 | Pakistan | v India | Multan | 17-Dec-82 |
39 | Salman Butt, Younis Khan | 205 | Pakistan | v India | Mirpur | 14-Jun-08 |
40 | Noor Ali Zadran, Mohammad Shahzad | 205 | Afghanistan | v Canada | Sharjah | 16-Feb-10 |
41 | G Gambhir, V Kohli | 205 | India | v Sri Lanka | Mirpur | 13-Mar-12 |
42 | Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saleem Malik | 204 | Pakistan | v Sri Lanka | Rawalpindi | 19-Jan-92 |
43 | Q de Kock, HE van der Dussen | 204 | South Africa | v Sri Lanka | Delhi | 7-Oct-23 |
44 | MJ Guptill, WA Young | 203 | New Zealand | v Netherlands | Hamilton | 4-Apr-22 |
45 | GA Gooch, DI Gower | 202 | England | v Australia | Lord's | 3-Jun-85 |
46 | SC Ganguly, V Sehwag | 202 | India | v Bermuda | Port of Spain | 19-Mar-07 |
47 | WTS Porterfield, A Balbirnie | 201 | Ireland | v U.A.E. | ICCA Dubai | 13-Jan-18 |
48 | ML Hayden, RT Ponting | 200 | Australia | v New Zealand | Perth | 28-Jan-07 |
49 | TM Dilshan, KC Sangakkara | 200 | Sri Lanka | v India | Hobart | 28-Feb-12 |
50 | SR Taylor, MD Patel | 200 | U.S.A. | v Nepal | Pearland | 11-Jun-22 |
51 | Shubman Gill, SS Iyer | 200 | India | v Australia | Indore | 24-Sep-23 |
52 | Q de Kock, HE van der Dussen | 200 | South Africa | v New Zealand | Pune | 1-Nov-23 |
53 | SR Tendulkar, VVS Laxman | 199 | India | v Australia | Indore | 31-Mar-01 |
54 | V Sehwag, SK Raina | 198 | India | v Pakistan | Karachi | 26-Jun-08 |
55 | S Dhawan, V Kohli | 197* | India | v Sri Lanka | Dambulla | 20-Aug-17 |
56 | BC Lara, PV Simmons | 197 | West Indies | v Pakistan | Durban | 19-Feb-93 |
57 | TM Dilshan, KC Sangakkara | 195 | Sri Lanka | v Scotland | Hobart | 11-Mar-15 |
58 | Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah | 195 | Afghanistan | v Zimbabwe | Harare | 6-Jun-22 |
59 | Fakhar Zaman, Babar Azam | 194* | Pakistan | v New Zealand | Bengaluru | 4-Nov-23 |
60 | HH Dippenaar, JH Kallis | 194 | South Africa | v West Indies | Bridgetown | 11-May-05 |
61 | SR Tendulkar, KD Karthik | 194 | India | v South Africa | Gwalior | 24-Feb-10 |
62 | AC Gilchrist, RT Ponting | 193 | Australia | v Pakistan | Lahore | 10-Nov-98 |
63 | HM Amla, AB de Villiers | 192 | South Africa | v West Indies | Johannesburg | 18-Jan-15 |
64 | AD Hales, JE Root | 192 | England | v West Indies | Bridgetown | 9-Mar-17 |
65 | DA Warner, UT Khawaja | 192 | Australia | v Bangladesh | Nottingham | 20-Jun-19 |
66 | Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam | 190* | Pakistan | v Australia | Lahore | 2-Apr-22 |
67 | SR Tendulkar, VVS Laxman | 190 | India | v Australia | Gwalior | 26-Oct-03 |
68 | SR Watson, RT Ponting | 190 | Australia | v West Indies | St George's | 29-Jun-08 |
69 | JM Bairstow, JE Root | 190 | England | v New Zealand | Dunedin | 7-Mar-18 |
70 | Shubman Gill, V Kohli | 189 | India | v Sri Lanka | Wankhede | 2-Nov-23 |
71 | G Gambhir, MS Dhoni | 188 | India | v Sri Lanka | Colombo (RPS) | 5-Feb-09 |
72 | Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq | 188 | Pakistan | v Ireland | Dublin | 23-May-13 |
73 | CH Gayle, RR Sarwan | 187 | West Indies | v England | Lord's | 6-Jul-04 |
74 | GC Smith, HH Gibbs | 187 | South Africa | v Australia | Johannesburg | 12-Mar-06 |
75 | RG Sharma, V Kohli | 186* | India | v Australia | Jaipur | 16-Oct-13 |
76 | GR Marsh, DM Jones | 185 | Australia | v England | Brisbane | 16-Dec-90 |
77 | ME Trescothick, N Hussain | 185 | England | v India | Lord's | 13-Jul-02 |
78 | HM Amla, RR Rossouw | 185 | South Africa | v New Zealand | Centurion | 19-Aug-15 |
79 | DL Haynes, HA Gomes | 184 | West Indies | v New Zealand | Bridgetown | 23-Apr-85 |
80 | TM Dilshan, KC Sangakkara | 184 | Sri Lanka | v South Africa | Pallekele | 28-Jul-13 |
81 | KR Mayers, SSJ Brooks | 184 | West Indies | v Netherlands | Amstelveen | 4-Jun-22 |
82 | PR Stirling, A Balbirnie | 184 | Ireland | v U.A.E. | Bulawayo | 27-Jun-23 |
83 | AJ Finch, SPD Smith | 182 | Australia | v India | Sydney | 26-Mar-15 |
84 | DP Conway, KS Williamson | 181 | New Zealand | v Pakistan | Karachi | 11-Jan-23 |
85 | SR Tendulkar, R Dravid | 180 | India | v Zimbabwe | Bulawayo | 26-Sep-98 |
86 | SR Tendulkar, R Dravid | 180 | India | v South Africa | Nagpur | 19-Mar-00 |
87 | Chirag Suri, V Aravind | 180 | U.A.E. | v Oman | Al Amerat | 5-Feb-22 |
88 | R Ravindra, KS Williamson | 180 | New Zealand | v Pakistan | Bengaluru | 4-Nov-23 |
89 | SC Ganguly, RR Singh | 179 | India | v Pakistan | Dhaka | 18-Jan-98 |
90 | HH Gibbs, JH Kallis | 179 | South Africa | v West Indies | St John's | 2-May-01 |
91 | Salman Butt, Younis Khan | 179 | Pakistan | v Bangladesh | Karachi | 19-Apr-08 |
92 | CS MacLeod, HJW Gardiner | 179 | Scotland | v Ireland | Dublin (Malahide) | 12-Sep-14 |
93 | KS Williamson, NT Broom | 179 | New Zealand | v Bangladesh | Nelson | 31-Dec-16 |
94 | HH Gibbs, JH Kallis | 178* | South Africa | v India | Colombo (RPS) | 25-Sep-02 |
95 | ML Hayden, RT Ponting | 178* | Australia | v Sri Lanka | Melbourne | 21-Jan-03 |
96 | RG Sharma, V Kohli | 178* | India | v Bangladesh | Birmingham | 15-Jun-17 |
97 | GR Marsh, DM Jones | 178 | Australia | v England | Brisbane | 18-Jan-87 |
98 | WW Hinds, BC Lara | 178 | West Indies | v Australia | Port of Spain | 25-May-03 |
99 | AN Cook, IR Bell | 178 | England | v India | Southampton | 21-Aug-07 |
100 | B Zuiderent, RN ten Doeschate | 177 | Netherlands | v Bermuda | Nairobi (Ruaraka) | 4-Feb-07 |
Data Source: ESPN Cricinfo