7 highest opening partnerships in ODIs

#6 Brendon McCullum and James Marshall

One of the reasons why Brendon McCullum was universally loved was not just his fearless brand of cricket but his ability to take the attack to the bowlers and as Scotland found out in 2008, when he gets going there is little you can do to stop him. Even if, at the time he and his opening partner had no ODI centuries to their names.

When Brendon McCullum and James Marshall walked out to bat against Scotland in the first match of the Associate Tri-Series at Aberdeen on July 1, 2008, few could have foreseen what was going to come next. Although the pair just fell short of the opening wicket partnership record, they still managed to add 274 runs in 42.2 overs, which gives them fourth place on this list.

McCullum scored a 135-ball 166 and despite getting out in the 43rd still outscored his opening partner by five runs and the pair together added 327 runs, which is a record for the most runs scored by an opening pair that stands to this day. On the back of that mammoth opening stand, the Kiwis scored 402/2 and went onto win the game by 290 runs.