Highest Opening Partnership in World Cup

Highest Opening Partnership in World Cup: From 2007 - 2023

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 is all set to take place in India between October 05-November 19, 2023.

And, just like the previous editions, the marquee event is in readiness to witness some of the best openers of the modern-era display their skills to the hilt.

Over the years, we have seen plenty of legendary opening pairs grace the World Cup with iconic, record-breaking partnerships.

Like in 2007, the all-time great opening pair of Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden feasted on the bowling attacks with merciless venom.

The duo racked up century stands for fun, and their most memorable display came against a powerful Sri Lankan team in the World Cup final in Barbados.

It was the Adam Gilchrist show, as the swashbuckling left-handed opener- with a squash ball in his gloves- proceeded to obliterate the Lankan attack to all corners of the stadium.

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Gilly smashed a brutal 149 off just 104 deliveries with the help of 13 fours and 8 monstrous sixes. The duo went on to rack up a record 172-run opening stand to lay the cornerstone for yet another WC triumph for the Aussies.

In 2011, the Sri Lankan opening duo of T Dilshan and Upul Tharanga scripted history by smashing the record for the highest-opening stand in the history of the tournament.

The duo achieved the feat against Zimbabwe in Pallekele where they added 282 runs for the 1st wicket. Dilshan led the way with a brutal 144 off just 131 deliveries, while Tharanga too chipped in with a 141-ball 133.

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This still remains the highest opening stand in WC history.

The past two editions of the World Cup has witnessed the Indian opening pair dominate the proceedings.

In 2015, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma amassed the highest-opening stand of the tournament after they smashed 174 runs between them against Ireland in Hamilton.

Dhawan led the charge with a brutal 85-ball hundred, while Sharma supported him brilliantly by chipping in with a 66-ball 64 as India gunned down the target of 260 with ease.

In 2019, it was the duo of Rohit and KL Rahul, which scripted the highest opening stand of the tournament.

The duo racked up a 189-run stand, and eventually went on to complete their respective hundreds- Rohit 103 (94) & Rahul 111 (118)- to help India chase down the target of 265 with ease.