Highest 3rd Wicket Partnership in Test

The team’s top-order batsmen face a new cricket ball, which can be challenging. If a team loss their openers early, the 3rd wicket partnership helps stabilize the innings.

This partnership is crucial for setting up a good total. These batsmen aim to stay at the crease, score runs, navigate through challenging bowling spells, negotiate tricky conditions, counter the opposition’s strategies, and lay the foundation for the middle and lower-order batsmen to follow. 

Forming a highest 3rd wicket partnership in test requires a combination of skill, patience, and teamwork from both batsmen. 

The batsmen need to have a solid technique, good shot selection, and the ability to adapt to different bowling strategies. 

They must also have a deep understanding of the game and be able to communicate effectively with each other to build a strong partnership.

Highest 3rd Wicket Partnership in Test | Top 10

Let’s explore the top 10 highest 3rd wicket partnerships in Test cricket:

10- Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq – 352 runs* partnership

Ijaz Ahmed and Inzamam-ul-Haq forged an unbeaten 352-run partnership against Sri Lanka in Dhaka in 1999. 

Their marathon stand underscored the batting prowess of the Pakistani middle order and Pakistan won the match confortably by an innings and 175 runs.

9- Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls – 363 runs Partnership

New Zealand’s Kane Williamson and Henry Nicholls make their mark on the list with a 363-run partnership against Sri Lanka in Wellington in 2023. 

This partnership showcased the contemporary excellence of New Zealand’s batting lineup.

Because of the strong partnership, New Zealand won the match by an innings and 58 run.

8- Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf – 363 runs Partnership

The eighth spot is claimed by the Pakistani pair of Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf, who combined for a formidable 363-run partnership against England at Leeds in 2006. 

Despite this partnership, Pakistan lost the match by 157 runs.

7- Bill Edrich and Denis Compton – 370 runs partnership

The vintage partnership of Bill Edrich and Denis Compton in 1947 at Lord’s against South Africa takes the seventh position. 

This partnership stood as a testament to the skill and determination of English batsmen in the post-war era.

Edrich and Compton’s partnership set a strong foundation and South Africa won the match by 10 wickets.

6- Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis – 377 runs* Partnership

The dynamic duo of Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis occupies the sixth spot with their unbeaten 377-run partnership against England at The Oval in 2012. 

Their partnership showcased the resilience and skill of South African batting against a formidable English bowling attack.

Due to the monumental partnership, South Africa scored a hunge total of 637/2d in their first innings and managed to win the match by an innings and 12 runs.

5- Qasim Umar and Javed Miandad – 397 runs partnership

Pakistan features once again in the top 10 with the partnership of Qasim Umar and Javed Miandad, who notched up an impressive 397 runs against Sri Lanka in Faisalabad in 1985. 

This partnership was a testament to the batting prowess of the Pakistani duo. The match ended in a draw.

4- Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar – 429 runs* Partnership

South Africa’s Jacques Rudolph and Boeta Dippenaar occupy the fourth spot with their unbeaten 429-run partnership against Bangladesh in Chattogram. 

This record-breaking stand displayed the dominance of the South African batting lineup and left a lasting impact on the cricketing world.

South Africa’s imposing total of 470/2d set the stage for a dominant position, and they won the match by an innings and 60 runs.

3- Mudassar Nazar and Javed Miandad – 451 runs Partnership

The third spot is held by the Pakistani duo of Mudassar Nazar and Javed Miandad, who stitched together a magnificent 451-run partnership against India in Hyderabad (Sind) in 1983. 

This partnership showcased the resilience of Pakistani batting, making it one of the memorable moments in Test cricket.

Pakistan won the match by an innings and 119 runs thanks to the third-wicket partnership, ensured a comfortable victory.

2- Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe – 467 runs Partnership

The year 1991 witnessed a formidable partnership between Andrew Jones and Martin Crowe of New Zealand. 

Their epic 467-run stand against Sri Lanka in Wellington not only propelled the Kiwis to a commanding position but also left an indelible mark on the record books.

New Zealand scored 174 and 671/4 in their both innings. Jones and Crowe’s monumental partnership played a crucial role in the second innings. In reply Sri Lanka scored 497 runs and managed to draw the match.

1- Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene – 624 runs Partnership

In July 2006, the Sri Lankan duo of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene etched their names in the annals of cricket history by amassing an astounding 624 runs against South Africa in Colombo. 

Their partnership showcased a masterclass in batting, with both players displaying remarkable concentration and skill to thwart the South African bowling attack.

South Africa scored 169 and 434 and Sri Lanka posted a mammoth total of 756/5d in their first innings. Sri Lanka won the match convincingly by an innings and 153 runs.

List of All the Highest 3rd Wicket Partnerships in Test Cricket History:

Sr. No.	Partners	Runs	Team	Opposition	Ground	Match Date
1	Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene	624	Sri Lanka	v South Africa	Colombo (SSC)	27-Jul-06
2	Andrew Jones, Martin Crowe	467	New Zealand	v Sri Lanka	Wellington	31-Jan-91
3	Mudassar Nazar, Javed Miandad	451	Pakistan	v India	Hyderabad (Sind)	14-Jan-83
4	Jacques Rudolph, Boeta Dippenaar	429*	South Africa	v Bangladesh	Chattogram	24-Apr-03
5	Qasim Umar, Javed Miandad	397	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Faisalabad	16-Oct-85
6	Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis	377*	South Africa	v England	The Oval	19-Jul-12
7	Bill Edrich, Denis Compton	370	England	v South Africa	Lord's	21-Jun-47
8	Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf	363	Pakistan	v England	Leeds	4-Aug-06
9	Kane Williamson, Henry Nicholls	363	New Zealand	v Sri Lanka	Wellington	17-Mar-23
10	Ijaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq	352*	Pakistan	v Sri Lanka	Dhaka	12-Mar-99
11	Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen	350	England	v India	The Oval	18-Aug-11
12	EJ Barlow, RG Pollock	341	South Africa	v Australia	Adelaide	24-Jan-64
13	Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis	340	South Africa	v India	Nagpur	6-Feb-10
14	ED Weekes, FMM Worrell	338	West Indies	v England	Port of Spain	17-Mar-54
15	Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar	336	India	v Pakistan	Multan	28-Mar-04
16	Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis	330	South Africa	v New Zealand	Johannesburg	8-Nov-07
17	DM Bravo, MN Samuels	326	West Indies	v Bangladesh	Khulna	21-Nov-12
18	Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq	324	Pakistan	v India	Bengaluru	24-Mar-05
19	Aamer Sohail, Inzamam-ul-Haq	323	Pakistan	v West Indies	Rawalpindi	29-Nov-97
20	A Melville, AD Nourse	319	South Africa	v England	Nottingham	7-Jun-47
21	Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf	319	Pakistan	v India	Lahore	13-Jan-06
22	GR Viswanath, Yashpal Sharma	316	India	v England	Chennai	13-Jan-82
23	RT Ponting, DS Lehmann	315	Australia	v West Indies	Port of Spain	19-Apr-03
24	KC Sangakkara, DPMD Jayawardene	311	Sri Lanka	v Bangladesh	Kandy	11-Jul-07
25	RB Richardson, IVA Richards	308	West Indies	v Australia	St John's	7-Apr-84
26	GA Gooch, AJ Lamb	308	England	v India	Lord's	26-Jul-90
27	M Vijay, SR Tendulkar	308	India	v Australia	Bengaluru	9-Oct-10
28	IVA Richards, AI Kallicharran	303	West Indies	v England	Nottingham	3-Jun-76
29	MA Atherton, RA Smith	303	England	v West Indies	St John's	16-Apr-94
30	CC McDonald, RN Harvey	295	Australia	v West Indies	Kingston	11-Jun-55
31	RB Richardson, BC Lara	293	West Indies	v Australia	Sydney	2-Jan-93
32	HM Amla, JP Duminy	292	South Africa	v Sri Lanka	Johannesburg	12-Jan-17
33	JA Burns, SPD Smith	289	Australia	v New Zealand	Christchurch	20-Feb-16
34	M Vijay, V Kohli	283	India	v Sri Lanka	Delhi	2-Dec-17
35	DG Bradman, AL Hassett	276	Australia	v England	Brisbane	29-Nov-46
36	SM Nurse, RB Kanhai	273	West Indies	v England	Port of Spain	14-Mar-68
37	ME Trescothick, GP Thorpe	268	England	v South Africa	The Oval	4-Sep-03
38	MP Vaughan, GP Thorpe	267	England	v Pakistan	Manchester	31-May-01
39	KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor	265	New Zealand	v Australia	Perth	13-Nov-15
40	L Hutton, WR Hammond	264	England	v West Indies	The Oval	19-Aug-39
41	IM Chappell, GS Chappell	264	Australia	v New Zealand	Wellington	1-Mar-74
42	WR Hammond, DR Jardine	262	England	v Australia	Adelaide	1-Feb-29
43	TT Samaraweera, DPMD Jayawardene	262	Sri Lanka	v England	Colombo (SSC)	18-Dec-03
44	KS Williamson, LRPL Taylor	262	New Zealand	v Sri Lanka	Colombo (PSS)	25-Nov-12
45	AN Cook, JE Root	259	England	v India	The Oval	7-Sep-18
46	SC Ganguly, SR Tendulkar	255	India	v England	Nottingham	4-Jul-96
47	HH Gibbs, JH Kallis	251	South Africa	v West Indies	Cape Town	2-Jan-04
48	AN Cook, IJL Trott	251	England	v Sri Lanka	Cardiff	26-May-11
49	M Labuschagne, SPD Smith	251	Australia	v West Indies	Perth	30-Nov-22
50	Azhar Ali, Younis Khan	250	Pakistan	v Bangladesh	Mirpur	6-May-15
51	D Elgar, JP Duminy	250	South Africa	v Australia	Perth	3-Nov-16

Data Source: ESPN Cricinfo