5 highest opening partnerships in ODI World Cups ft. David Warner and Mitchell Marsh

Star Australian batters David Warner and Mitchell Marsh achieved a significant milestone with their phenomenal batting displays in the ongoing 2023 ODI World Cup match against Pakistan in Bengaluru on Friday (October 20).

After being put to bat first, Warner and Marsh stitched up a 259-run stand, which is the second-highest opening partnership in ODI World Cups.

It all started when birthday boy Marsh smashed one down the ground for a six in the very first over. He and Warner made full use of the powerplay and added 82 runs within the first ten overs, the most for Australia in that phase of an ODI World Cup innings.

The Aussie duo continued to pile up runs against the Pakistani spinners and kept finding boundaries at will.

Warner, who was dropped in the fifth over, made Pakistan pay dearly as he clobbered 163 runs in just 124 balls.

Marsh, meanwhile, became only the second-ever player to notch up an ODI World Cup hundred on birthday, amassing 121 runs in 108 balls.

Their partnership was broken by Shaheen Afridi in the 34th over when he sent back Marsh to the pavilion.

There have been a number of such massive partnerships at the showpiece event in the past that have left the fans in awe and the opposition shell-shocked.

On that note, here are the top-five highest opening stands in ODI World Cup history.

#5. 189 runs - Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul vs Sri Lanka at the 2019 ODI World Cup in Leeds

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul for India at the 2019 ODI World Cup [Getty Images]

The fifth-highest opening partnership in ODI World Cup history came up between Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, who added 189 runs in India's last group stage game against Sri Lanka in 2019.

Chasing 265, India hardly broke a sweat as Rohit and Rahul made full advantage of the great batting conditions at the Headingley, Leeds. Rohit, in particular, broke several milestones on the day as his 103-run knock became his third consecutive century in the tournament.

KL Rahul, meanwhile, wasn't able to convert his starts in the previous games, but registered his maiden ODI World Cup hundred as he scored 111. India eventually chased down the total with seven wickets and 39 balls in hand.

Rohit and Rahul's 189-run stand is India's highest opening partnership in the history of the quadrennial competition.

#4. 194 runs - Saeed Anwar and Wajatullah Wasti vs New Zealand at the 1999 ODI World Cup in Manchester

Only partnership on the list which came in a semi-final contest, Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Wajatullah Wasti joined together to make 194 runs for the opening wicket against New Zealand at the 1999 ODI World Cup.

On a great batting track in Manchester, Pakistan's pace attack restricted New Zealand to 241/7 in the first innings. The total was never going to trouble the Men in Green as openers Anwar and Wasti batted sensibly to take Pakistan closer to the target.

The two batters added 194 runs for the first wicket. While Wasti got out for 84, Anwar remained unbeaten till the end and made 113 runs off 148 balls.

#3. 231* runs - Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan vs England at the 2011 ODI World Cup in Colombo

Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan for Sri Lanka [Getty Images]

Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan's formidable pair at the helm of the innings was one of the highlights of Sri Lanka's largely successful World Cup campaign in 2011.

Having known the conditions better than anyone else, they capitalised on the advantage by racking up two stands in excess of 200, including an unbeaten 231-run stand in a quarter-final clash against England in Colombo.

Batting first, the English batters struggled in the spinning conditions and could only make 229/6 in their 50 overs.

In reply, Tharanga and Dilshan made a mockery of the target as they took 237 balls to hunt down the total without any blemishes. The two batters batted with utter dominance to put Sri Lanka in ascendancy and hammer the English bowlers on a tricky surface.

Dilshan (108*) was the first one to get to his hundred, before Tharanga (102*) hit the winning runs, which helped him get to his second ton of the tournament.

#2. 259 runs - David Warner and Mitchell Marsh vs Pakistan at the 2023 ODI World Cup in Bengaluru

David Warner and Mitchell Marsh celebrating with each other [Getty Images]

The latest entrants on the list, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, struck a 259-run stand in the ongoing 2023 ODI World Cup match against Pakistan at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Being put to bat first, the Aussie batters came out with aggressive intent and made merry as the ball was coming onto the bat nicely. With short boundaries on either side, both Warner and Marsh clobbered the Pakistani bowlers to all parts of the ground.

Warner, in particular, pounced on anything short and never shied from taking the aerial route, even against the rapid pace of Haris Rauf and Shaheen Afridi.

The two batters became the first Australian opening duo to hit hundreds in an ODI World Cup innings as Warner made a superlative 163, while Marsh was dismissed after a superb 121.

The sensational partnership between the two not only stunned the Pakistani unit but also gave the crowd something to remember for a long time. Their partnership came to an end when Marsh was holed out at short fine-leg.

When both Warner and Marsh were at the crease, Australia threatened to even pile up a 400+ run total. However, they lost too many wickets in the death overs, which meant that the Pat Cummins-led side ended up with 367/9 in their 50 overs.

#1. 282 runs - Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan vs Zimbabwe at the 2011 ODI World Cup in Pallekele

The record for the highest-ever partnership for the opening wicket in an ODI World Cup game still stands with Sri Lanka's Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan, who stitched up a massive 282-run stand against Zimbabwe in the 2011 edition.

Batting first, Tharanga and Dilshan had Sri Lanka off to a flier. They settled into their usual roles with Dilshan playing the aggressor, keeping the fielders on their toes at all times while Tharanga steadily accumulated runs without attracting much attention to his antics.

It took them just 97 balls to bring up the 100-run stand and the solid start meant that the tone was set for them to punish Zimbabwean bowlers in the middle and death overs.

The Zimbabwean bowling attack had no idea to counter the Lankan duo and even got punished for even slightest of mistakes. Tharanga and Dilshan batted for 268 balls, in which they notched up 282 runs.

Tharanga was the first one to get dismissed after brilliant 133, while Dilshan scored a remarkable 141-run knock at a superb strike rate of 109.92.

Sri Lanka went on to post up a first-innings total of 327/6 before bundling out the opposition for 188 runs.