ODI World Cup: Every format of cricket has a different challenger all together. In a 50-over match, a single batsman can’t win every match for his team. He needs other batters to contribute as well in the match. That is why a partnership in an inning always lays the foundation for a win. And if it is in a pressure situation like the World Cup, then it becomes more important for the team.
Losing one or two early wickets in the first few overs is a normal occurrence in an ODI match. So it makes the role of No. 3 or 4, more vital in the batting order. And after losing a couple of early wickets, the pressure will always be on these batters. So, in this article we will discuss the top ten highest third-wicket partnerships in the history of the ODI World Cup.
1. Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar (237* runs) against Kenya in the 1999 World Cup
The highest ever partnership for the third wicket came in the 1999 World Cup. This was the 15th fixture of the tournament between India and Kenya at Bristol. Kenya won the toss and elected to bat first. Sadagopan Ramesh (44) and Sourav Ganguly (13) were both dismissed for 92 runs. Then Sachin and Dravid joined the crease and started the innings steadily. But once they got set, both batters used the opportunity to their full effect and scored their respective centuries, respectively. Sachin scored an unbeaten 140* runs and Dravid was unbeaten at 104* runs.
Both batsmen added an unbeaten 237* run third-wicket partnership to help India reach 329/2 in 50 overs. Chasing a big target, Kenya started well but lost the momentum in the middle overs. In the end, they fell short of the target by 94 runs. Sachin was adjudged “Man of the Match” for his century.
2. Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn (234* runs) against India in the 2003 World Cup
The second biggest partnership came in the final match of the 2003 World Cup, between Australia and India. The Indian team won the toss and chose to bowl first. Batting first, Australia got off to a good start. However, they lost their openers by 125 runs. Skipper Ricky Ponting was looking good, and Damien Martyn also joined him. These two batters started taking on the Indian bowlers and kept scoring runs. Ponting brought up his century and Martyn scored his half-century during that partnership.
Both batsmen added an unbeaten 234* runs for the third wicket to post a massive score of 359/2 in their 50 overs. Ponting was unbeaten on 140* and Martyn scored 88*. Chasing the target, Virender Sehwag gave a good start, but no one of the Indian batters stood at the crease. In the end, India were bowled out for 234 runs and lost the final match by 125 runs.
3. Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers (221 runs) against Netherlands in the 2011 World Cup
This match was also recorded as one of the biggest wins of the World Cup. It was the 16th match of the 2011 event between South Africa and Netherlands. Batting first, South African opener Hashim Amla was looking good, but he lost two of his partners early. Then AB de Villiers joined him at the crease. And then the rest is history. The world saw a record-breaking partnership between the two stylish batsmen. Both batsmen added 221 runs for the third wicket to help their teams reach a massive score of 351/5.
The Netherlands openers started defensively, but once they got out, it was just a formality for the South African bowlers. They got all ten wickets for just 120 runs, and the Proteas won that match by 231 runs.
ICC World Cup Highest 3rd wicket Partnership List
| Batters | Partnership | Against | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar (India) | 237* | Kenya | Bristol | 1999 |
| Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn (Australia) | 234* | India | Johannesburg | 2003 |
| Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers (South Africa) | 221 | Netherlands | Mohali | 2011 |
| Mark Waugh and Steve Waugh (Australia) | 207 | Kenya | Visakhapatnam | 1996 |
| Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli (India) | 203 | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 2011 |
| CG Greenidge and HA Gomes (West Indies) | 195* | Zimbabwe | Worcester | 1983 |
| Joe Root and Eoin Morgan (England) | 189 | Afghanistan | Manchester | 2019 |
| AP Gurusinha and PA de Silva (Sri Lanka) | 183 | Kenya | Kandy | 1996 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene (Sri Lanka) | 183 | West Indies | Providence | 2007 |
| DL Haynes and IVA Richards (West Indies) | 182 | Sri Lanka | Karachi | 1987 |