It is a batter’s delight and a bowler’s nightmare when the opening pair is tough to dismiss. Since the advent of T20I cricket, teams and players have scripted several milestones, and one of them is stitching high-scoring opening stands. Pakistan defeated England by ten wickets in the second T20I of the seven-match series. The highlight was the 203-run unbeaten opening stand between Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan. Regarded as one of the best opening pairs, the duo edged past Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan (1743) for most runs scored in a partnership by openers in T20Is (2000 and counting). Cricket has often witnessed such career-defining moments, and only in five instances have the opening pairs breached the 200-run mark. The record for the highest opening pair in T20I cricket is by Afghanistan’s Hazratullah Zazai and Usman Ghani, who struck a 236-run stand against Ireland in 2019. But it happened when their side was batting first. Stitching a high-scoring opening stand while chasing a target is a different ballgame altogether.
Alex Hales and Michael Lumb – 143
Sixth on the list is England openers Alex Hales and Michael Lumb, who stitched a 143-run stand against New Zealand while chasing a target of 140 in 2013. In the 3rd T20I against New Zealand, Hales amassed 80 runs, while Lumb scored 53, which included a solitary four and five sixes. Courtesy of their strong opening stand, the Three Lions won the series 2-1.
Mohammad Rizwan and Babar Azam – 152
As mentioned above, Rizwan and Babar are one of the most destructive opening pairs in T20I cricket. The duo ranks 5th for their 152-run stand against India in the 2021 T20 World Cup. It was their 2nd 150+ run opening stand of the year. In the opening group stage match against India in Dubai, the Pakistani stalwarts chased down the target of 152 within 18 overs and won the game by ten wickets. Babar scored 68 off 52, and Rizwan struck a valiant 79 off 55 balls. The mesmerizing pair helped Pakistan script their first-ever World Cup victory over India.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan – 158
After sparing no mercy on India, Babar and Rizwan scripted their 3rd 150+ opening stand in 2021 against West Indies, when the Caribbean side toured Pakistan. In the 3rd T20I, West Indies looked to end the series on a solid note as they posed a target of 208, but Babar and Rizwan had other plans. Rizwan made 87 off 45 balls, and his partner Babar struck 79 off 53 balls. They both aggregated 158 runs before the Windies managed to dismiss Babar. The Men in Green won the series 3-0 and whitewashed the Windies.
Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson – 171
Third on the list is New Zealand pair Martin Guptill and Kane Williamson. The New Zealand skipper does not open the innings in T20Is, but in 2016, he partnered a 171-run stand with Martin Guptill against Pakistan. Shahid Afridi-led side posed a fightable 168 on the board. Guptill scored 87 off 58 balls in reply, while Williamson troubled the bowlers with his 72-run innings.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan – 197
Second on the list are Babar and Rizwan. The Pakistani opening pair have a tryst with scoring 150+ opening score. Their first ever 150+ stand came against South Africa in April 2021, when the duo struck a 197-run partnership in the 3rd T20I to help their side take a 2-1 lead in the match. Player of the match, Babar struck his first ever T20I century as he scored 122 off 59 balls. Rizwan, on the other hand, scored 73 off 47 balls. Their record of highest opening stands while chasing stood for over a year before breaking in 2022.
Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan – 203
Rizwan and Babar top the list of the highest opening stand while chasing in T20Is. With a 203-run stand against England on 22nd September 2022, they broke their own record set against South Africa in 2021 (197). It was their first double hundred stands in T20Is, while Babar struck his 2nd T20I century. In the historic match, they surpassed Rohit and Dhawan for most runs scored by an opening pair in T20Is and registered Pakistan’s highest successful run chase in the shortest format of the game. Babar scored an unbeaten 110, and Rizwan amassed 88.