Stats: Hashim Amla-AB de Villiers break record for highest average partnership runs

Having scored 2473 runs in 33 innings at an average of 79.8, South African duo of AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla now hold the world record for the highest average ODI partnership runs among pairs who have put together at least 10 stands. The duo has 9 100-run partnerships and 8 half-century partnerships between them.

They overtook the Netherlands duo of Ryan ten Doeschate and Bas Zuiderent, who average 79.50 in 13 innings. Three Indian pairs – Sunil Gavaskar and Mohammad Azharuddin (78.00), MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir (74.70), and Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane (72.75) – occupy the third, fourth and fifth spot respectively.

AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla (R)

Playing the first of the five-match ODI series against West Indies, at Kingsmead, Durban, Amla and De Villiers combined to rescue the home team with a 99-run partnership after the early departure of Rilee Rossouw and Faf du Plessis, both of whom were dismissed for ducks by fast bowler Jerome Taylor. At 185/3 in 31 overs, the Proteas were looking good to register a 300+ score, but a late collapse meant they had to settle for 279.

It proved to be more than enough in the end, as Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir picked up 3 wickets each to dismiss the Caribbean side, who were chasing a revised target of 226 in 32 overs, for 164.

Pair	Country	Innings	Runs	Average
H Amla, AB de Villiers	South Africa	33	2473	79.77
Ryan Ten Doeschate, B Zuiderent	Netherlands	13	795	79.50
S Gavaskar, M Azharuddin	India	16	1014	78.00
G Gambhir, MS Dhoni	India	18	1270	74.70
S Dhawan, A Rahane	India	12	873	72.75
J Kallis, J Rudolph	South Africa	13	800	72.72
N Astle, R Twose	New Zealand	21	1431	71.55
E Morgan, J Trott	England	17	935	66.78
B Edgar, G Turner	New Zealand	13	799	66.58
A Flintoff, A Strauss	England	13	718	65.27

Note: Stats updated till 17 January 2015