Highest Opening Partnership in PSL : Top 10 List

In the high-octane Pakistan Super League (PSL) where pacers and spinners both taste success alike, the opening batters have a big responsibility to create a positive momentum for the team that is carried forward in the rest of the game.

Here we will have a look at the highest opening partnerships in PSL history.

Sharjeel Khan – Babar Azam (176 Runs)

The Karachi Kings opening pair of Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam hold the record for the highest opening partnership in PSL. It is also the highest partnership in PSL for any wicket. In the 2021 batting first against Islamabad United, the pair started off slow scoring just 33 runs in the first 6 overs but soon picked up some pace as Sharjeel scored 94 runs in his final 45 deliveries to score a 55-ball hundred. Babar scored 62 off 54 balls and was the first batter to be dismissed. Kings lost the match by 5 wickets despite putting 196/3 on the board which proved insufficient.

Saim Ayub – Babar Azam (162 Runs)

Playing for Peshawar Zalmi, Babar Azam was involved in another 150-plus run partnership in the PSL. Batting first against Quetta Gladiators, Babar teamed up with Saim Ayub to add 162 the second-highest opening partnership in PSL in just 13.3 overs. Ayub scored 74 in 34 deliveries getting to his 50 in 24 balls. Babar got to his half-century in 32 deliveries playing the anchor’s role. The duo added 67 runs in the powerplay. Babar further went on to score his 8th T20 hundred finishing with 115 in 65 balls but the total of 240/2 was chased down by Quetta Gladiators with 10 balls to spare, Jason Roy scoring an unbeaten 145 in the chase.

Liam Livingstone – Babar Azam (157 Runs)

This particular partnership in 2019 with Liam Livingstone for Karachi Kings was the highest in PSL history for any wicket then and was surpassed by Babar and Sharjeel two years later. Batting first after winning the toss, Livingstone and Babar started in some fashion scoring 53 runs in the powerplay. Livingstone was the first to get to his half-century, off 29 balls with Babar following him with a 39-ball half-century. The stand was broken in the 16th over by Chris Green removing Livingstone for 82. Babar went ahead and was out in the 18th over scoring 77.

Usman Khan – Mohammad Rizwan (157 Runs)

In a run-fest at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium during a league stage fixture of PSL 8, Multan Sultan's openers Usman Khan (120 off 43) and captain Mohammad Rizwan (55 off 29) added 157 runs in 10 overs. Both the batters kept the attacking approach adding 50 runs in 4 overs and scoring 91 runs in the powerplay. Usman got his half-century in 22 balls and got to his hundred even before Rizwan moved to his own 50. Usman’s 36-ball century is the fastest century in PSL history overhauling Rilee Rossouw’s 41-ball ton which was scored for the same team one day prior. Sultans scored 262/3 and won by 9 runs.

Will Smeed - Ahsan Ali (155 Runs)

Quetta Gladiators openers Will Smeed and Ahsan Ali added 155 runs for the opening wicket while batting first after Peshawar Zalmi won the toss at the National Stadium in Karachi. The pair brought up 50 in just 31 balls and scored 62 runs in the powerplay. Ahsan Ali hit 3 sixes and 8 fours before getting out for 73 in 46 balls to Usman Qadir. Will Smeed played throughout the innings scoring 97 in 62 balls with 11 fours and 4 maximums. The 100-run partnership was brought up in 65 balls and it took the openers 25 more deliveries to score the next 50 runs.

Shane Watson – Sharjeel Khan (153 Runs)

The first ever 150-plus run partnership in the Pakistan Super League is accounted to Islamabad United’s Shane Watson and Sharjeel Khan in 2016. Leading the side in Misbah ul Haq’s absence, Watson won the toss and elected to bowl first restricting Lahore Qalandars to 166/6. Opening the innings in the chase, the duo were quick to get 50 runs in 29 balls and took Islamabad into three figures by the 11th over. Watson was the first to get to his fifty in 37 balls, Sharjeel was even quicker getting there in 26 balls. Both batters scored 79 with Sharjeel remaining unbeaten taking the side to an 8-wicket win.

Sharjeel Khan – Babar Azam (151* Runs)

Another extravagant opening stand involving the dynamic duo of Sharjeel and Babar for Karachi Kings. Winning the toss, Karachi put Lahore Qalandars to bat and restricted the total to 150/5. Opening the innings at their home ground, the duo found no difficulty scoring 52 in the powerplay. Both the batters had scored an identical 40 at the halfway stage of the innings. Sharjeel got to his 50 in 40 balls and Babar followed next scoring his in 36 deliveries. The total was chased down without a dent in 17.1 overs and is still the unbeaten highest-opening partnership in PSL history.

Shan Masood – Mohammad Rizwan (150 Runs)

Chasing a steep total of 207 in their first group game in the 2022 PSL against Lahore Qalandars, the Multan Sultan's opening pair of Shan Masood and Mohammad Rizwan provided some excellent momentum in the chase setting it up for the middle order. The pair added 50 in 27 balls finishing the powerplay on a high with 66 runs on the board. Both Shan and Rizwan got to their half centuries off 28 balls taking Sultans past 100 in 52 balls and 150 inside the 15th over before Masood was cleaned up by Rashid Khan on his personal score of 83 in 50 balls. Rizwan was bowled by Shaheen Shah Afridi for 69 in 42 balls, but Sultans created history achieving the highest run chase in PSL that time.

Colin Munro – Usman Khawaja (137 Runs*)

Opening the innings for Islamabad United who won the toss and bowled first, Munro and Khawaja were unmoved at the crease chasing a modest total of 134 in Abu Dhabi playing against Quetta Gladiators. The 1st innings saw Quetta score just 36 runs in the powerplay and here thanks to a fiery start from the opening pair, the powerplay yielded 97 runs. Munro got to his 50 in 20 balls and remained unbeaten scoring 90 off 36 with 12 fours and 5 sixes. Khawaja faced 27 balls for his 40 and hit a solitary six alongside 6 boundaries. The target was achieved with 60 balls remaining.

Kamran Akmal – Imam-Ul-Haq (137 Runs)

During the 2019 edition, Peshawar Zalmi openers Kamran Akmal and Imam-ul-Haq batted the Karachi Kings out of the game with a solid partnership – the highest for the first wicket for Peshawar Zalmi at that time. Losing the toss and batting first, the duo faced the bowling attack comprising Mohammad Amir, Usman Shinwari, Sohail Khan and Imad Wasim to name a few. The powerplay yielded 61 runs with Kamran hitting 37. Imam was dropped for 32 and slowed down a bit. Kamran scored 86 in 48 balls when the partnership was broken in the 14th over. Zalmi scored 203/7 and eventually won by 67 runs.