Highest T20I Partnerships | Get the Top 10 list

While individual batting performances often take center-stage in the T20 format, batting partnerships are equally crucial despite the very limited number of balls available to stitch one. The list of the highest T20I partnerships in men’s cricket is led by Japan’s L Yamamoto-Lake and K Kadowaki-Fleming, who forged a 258-run stand against China.

Building a good partnership in T20 cricket is difficult as neither of the duo can afford to take time while the other takes on the bowlers. A successful T20 partnership not only pressurizes the opponent but also keeps the squad fresh to commit everything during fielding.  

The highest recorded partnership in T20 cricket is set by Argentina’s women cricketers Lucia Taylor and Albertina Galan, who tallied 350 runs for the first wicket against Chile Women during a bilateral T20I series in 2023.

Highest T20I Partnerships: Top 10 list

Let’s look at the top 10 list of highest T20I partnerships in men’s cricket:

L Yamamoto-Lake & K Kadowaki-Fleming - 258* | Japan vs China

Chinese bowlers had one of the worst outings in the history of cricket on February 15, 2024, during the East Asia Cup hosted in their backyard. Batting first, Japanese openers Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake and Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming stitched an unbelievable 258-run stand for the first wicket.

Image for Skipper Kadowaki-Fleming

While Japanese skipper Fleming remained unbeaten scoring 109 runs in 53 balls, Yamamoto-Lake amped up the heat hitting a 68-ball-134-runs knock while remaining unbeaten. The duo divided their task through boundaries. The duo jointly hit 11 boundaries and a whopping 23 sixes in the process.

Interestingly, the mammoth total of 258 runs was scored despite one of the Chinese bowlers (Luo Shilin) conceding just 28 runs in four overs. Barring Shilin, none of the bowlers could maintain an economy rate of less than 10 with the most runs conceded by Tian Sen Qun (42 runs in four overs). China was all-out for 78 runs losing by a huge margin of 180 runs.

Usman Ghani & Hazratullah Zazai - 236 | Afghanistan vs Ireland

Afghanistan’s giant killing spree and a semi-final finish in the 2024 T20 World Cup was no fluke as the recently formed cricketing nation has kept ticking all the right boxes over the last few years. One instance that proved their steep progress vividly was Afghanistan's second T20I against Ireland in Dehradun on February 23, 2019.

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Batting first on a batting paradise, Afghan opener Hazraullah Zazai unleashed a barrage of sixes upon the Irish bowlers while Usman Ghani played the anchor’s role. While Ghani, Shafiqullah and Mohammad Nabi all departed at the later stages of the game, Zazai stayed unbeaten until the end scoring an unbeaten 162 runs in 62 balls. The Paktia-born lad had hammered 11 boundaries and 16 sixes to help Afghanistan post a target of 279 runs.

Interestingly, Ireland had an opening stand of 126 runs as well and had captain Paul Stirling not gotten out early, the visitors could have made the match interesting. Ireland eventually fell short by 84 runs.

D’Arcy Short & Aaron Finch - 223 runs | Australia vs Zimbabwe 

Zimbabwe had faced the good old Australian treatment at Harare during the 2018 T20I Tri Series between Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Australia. Coming off a solid 9-wicket win over Pakistan in the previous match, the Aussies were high in confidence and captain Aaron Finch personified that with a thunderous knock of 172 runs.

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Australia’s other opener D’Arcy Short played the anchor’s role as Finch went about things in a brutal manner, hitting 16 boundaries and 10 sixes to end the match in the first innings itself. Short was dismissed in the 20th over but not before the duo had forged an opening partnership of 223 runs, which is the third highest T20I partnership.

Chris Mpofu was the most expensive bowler for the hosts as he conceded 53 runs in his four overs. Chasing a target of 230 runs saw Zimbabwe crumble at 129 runs as they lost the match by 100 runs.

Dylan Steyn & S Davizi - 220 runs | Czech Republic vs Bulgaria

Czech openers Dylan Steyn and Sabawoon Davizi achieved this feat during the eighth T20I of the 2022 Valletta Cup in Malta’s Marsa Sports Club. Batting first, the duo forged a formidable partnership of 220 runs in 18 overs, when Steyn was dismissed after scoring 106 runs in 55 balls.

While Davizi dealt in sixes, Steyn did his job through boundaries scoring 17 of them apart from two sixes. Davizi stayed unbeaten till the end with a knock of 115 runs in just 59 balls. He hit eight sixes and seven boundaries in the process.

Bulgaria's Asad Alo Rehemtulla and Jacib Albin sconceded 52 and 51 runs respectively in their quota of four overs, leaving Bulgaria to chase a target of 259 runs in 20 overs. The Czech Republic eventually won by 88 runs.