Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam and wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan broke multiple records, putting on a 152 run stand at the top of the order as Pakistan convincingly defeated arch-rival India by ten wickets.
Mohammad Rizwan was the major contributor to the partnership as he scored 79 runs off 55 balls. His innings included 6 fours and 3 sixes as he took the game away from the opposition with his clean hitting. Babar on the other hand scored 68 runs off 52 balls including 6 fours and 2 sixes.
The 152 run opening stand between the two batters is the highest partnership against India in T20 cricket. They surpassed the record of Australian duo, David Warner and Shane Watson who previously held the record for the highest partnership against India. Warner and Watson put up an opening stand of 133 runs in the 2012 T20 World Cup as they defeated India by 9 wickets.
Babar and Rizwan’s 152 run opening stand is also the highest in T20 World Cups. The previous highest opening partnership record was held by the West Indian opening duo of Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith. They scored 145 runs for the first wicket against South Africa in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in 2007.
The Pakistani duo’s magnificent partnership is also the second-highest partnership for any wicket in T20 World Cups. The record for the highest partnership for any wicket is held by former Sri Lankan legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. They scored 166 runs for the 2nd wicket against West Indies in the 2010 T20 World Cup.
This was also Babar and Rizwan’s fourth century partnership in T20I cricket. Indian duo Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan and New Zealand dup Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill are the only two other pairs to have four-century partnerships in T20I cricket. Sharma and Dhawan have four-century stands in 52 innings, Williamson and Guptill have scored four century stands in 27 innings while Babar and Rizwan have only taken 16 innings to score four century stands.