Top 3 highest opening stands in ODIs

Partnerships are very important in cricket, irrespective of the format. Particularly, a lot of pressure falls on the back of the openers whenever they go out to bat. A large part of batting team's success depends on the kind of opening they get from the pair.

If the openers go for some early carnage, it will make the life easier for the batsmen about to come and bat later. It will also kill the morale of the opposing team if the openers play a big inning.

The game of cricket has seen some wonderful partnerships for the first wicket. We take a look at three of the highest opening stands in one-day internationals.

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#3 David Warner and Travis Head (284 runs)

The left-handed pair dismantled the Pakistan bowlers

When Pakistan team visited Australia in 2017, the hosts were busy dominating the visitors and after four ODIs, the series was already theirs, 3-1. In the fifth ODI, Australia were on a mission to continue their dominance as the openers, Warner and Head dismantled the Pakistani bowlers.

Batting first, Warner and Head gave the exact start that the Aussies would have wanted and scored 284 runs for the first wicket before the former got dismissed. Warner scored 179 off just 128 balls, with 19 fours and 5 sixes. Head contributed 128 off 137, accompanied by 9 fours and 3 sixes.

In the end, the Aussies posted a high total of 369-7 in 50 overs. In return, Pakistan scored 312 before they were all-out and lost the game by 57 runs. Babar Azam scored a century but did not get the required support to take the team over the line.

Thus, the Aussies won the series 4-1.

#2 Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga (286 runs)

Jayasuriya and Tharanga's exploits helped SL chase down a big total

The Sri Lankan cricket team visited England for a 5-ODI series in 2006. The openers came up big in every match for the visitors and helped them lead the series, 4-0 after four ODIs. In the fifth and the final ODI at Headingley, the trend did not change.

After winning the toss, England chose to bat first and scored a very good total of 321-7 in 50 overs, on the back of a beautiful century from Marcus Trescothick. He had scored 121 off 118, with 15 fours and a six.

In return, the Sri Lankan openers smashed the England bowlers all around the park and added 286 for the first-wicket in just 31.5 overs.

Jayasuriya played a blazing knock, scoring 152 off 99 balls, with 20 fours and 4 sixes. Tharanga supported ably with 109 off 102 deliveries, with 14 fours and a six. Their exploits helped the visitors chase this huge total down in just 37.3 overs. Sri Lanka white-washed England, 5-0.

#1 Fakhar Zaman and Imam-Ul-Haq (304 runs)

Imam-Ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman destroyed the Zimbabwean bowlers

In the recently concluded 5-ODI series, Zimbabwe hosted Pakistan. After winning the first three ODIs and the series quite comprehensively, the fourth ODI was just a dead-rubber in Bulawayo.

The Pakistan openers who were in a great form and having played match-winning innings in the first two ODIs, continued their rhythm and destroyed the Zimbabwean bowlers in the fourth ODI.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, the openers exploded, scoring centuries and went on to add a record 304 for the first wicket in 42 overs. Imam-Ul-Haq played a very calm and composed knock, scoring 113 off 122 balls, with 8 fours but the other opener, Fakhar Zaman played a blinder of an innings, scoring 210 off 156 deliveries, accompanied by 24 fours and 5 sixes.

In doing so, he became the first Pakistani cricketer to score a double-century in ODIs. Thanks to their exploits, Pakistan scored a very big total of 399-1 in 50 overs. It was too much to chase for Zimbabwe as they got bundled out for just 155 in 42.4 overs, with Shadab Khan picking 4 wickets for 28 runs.

Very unsurprisingly, Fakhar Zaman took home the Man of the Match trophy, while the pair kept the record for the highest opening stand in ODIs.