The 8th edition of the T20 World Cup is just 5 months away. It will be held in Australia between September and October. All the teams are gearing up for this. But the records suggest that a team that has a strong batting middle order always has a better chance to win. Like the Australian team that won last season, they had Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, and Steve Smith in the middle. Or if we look at the Indian team that won the inaugural season, it had Yuvraj Singh at No. 4, who batted like a dream. This shows the strength of the team.
The batters at No. 3 and 4 make an important combo in the batting order, which means the third-wicket partnerships are always vital for the team. Because this can maximize the good start given by the openers and also stop the tumbling of wickets. And in any high-pressure game in the T20 World Cup, the importance of third-wicket partnerships is higher. So, in this article, we will discuss the top ten highest third wicket partnerships in the T20 World Cup.
1. Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan (152) against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup 2014
It was the 22nd match of the 2014 World Cup between Sri Lanka and England in Chattogram. England skipper Stuart Broad won the toss and chose to bowl first. However, this match is also remembered for the second highest (145) partnership for the second wicket between Dilshan and Jayawardene. Sri Lanka gave England a target of 190 runs. However, the English team started badly and lost their first two wickets without scoring any runs. Both Michael Lumb and Moeen Ali left without scoring anything.
Then Eoin Morgan joined Alex Hales at the crease. At that moment, it was looking like Sri Lanka might win that game. But then came a record-breaking partnership between Hales and Morgan that sealed the deal for England. Both batters added 152 runs for the third wicket. Hales (116*) scored an unbeaten century and Morgan got out after scoring 57 runs.
2. Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp (120*) against West Indies in the T20 World Cup 2007
This was the first match of Group A in the inaugural season of the T20I World Cup in South Africa. West Indies locked horns with host South Africa at the Johannesburg. Greame Smith won the toss and elected to field first. However, like the first one, this match also saw another big partnership, but this time for the first wicket. For West Indies, Chris Gayle scored 117 and Devon Smith added 145 runs for the first wicket, which is the second highest partnership for the first wicket in World Cup history.
West Indies gave the Proteas a big target of 206. South Africa lost two wickets for 88 and looked struggling. But the unbeaten partnership between Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp of 120* saw South Africa home with 14 balls to spare. This is still the second highest partnership for the third wicket ever.
3. Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell (118) against Pakistan in the T20I World Cup 2014
This was the 16th match of the World Cup 2014 between Pakistan and Australia. The Men in Yellow won the toss and chose to bowl first. Batting first, Pakistan played well and ended the innings at 191/5 in their 20 overs. Umar Akmal scored the highest, 94 off 54.
Chasing the target, Australia lost two early wickets, but the third wicket partnership between Aaron Finch (65) and Glenn Maxwell (75) brought the team back to chasing. Both added 118 runs for the third wicket, but in the end, both got out. And Australia fell short by 16 runs and lost the match.
4. Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim (122) against Australia in the T20 World Cup 2014
This was the 31st match of the T20 World Cup 2014 between Australia and Bangladesh at Mirpur. After winning the toss, Bangladesh chose to bat first but lost their first two wickets early. Then Shakib Al Hasan and skipper Mushfiqur Rahim played steadily and played according to the situation. Both batsmen added 112 runs for the third wicket to help their team post a respectable target of 153.
However, Australia won the match by seven wickets with 15 balls to spare. Aaron Finch scored 71 runs off 43 balls and was named Man of the Match.
T20 World Cup Highest Third Wicket Partnership List
| Batters | Partnership | Against | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Hales and Eoin Morgan (England) | 152 | Sri Lanka | Chattogram | 2014 |
| Herschelle Gibbs and Justin Kemp (South Africa) | 120* | West Indies | Johannesburg | 2007 |
| Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell (Australia) | 118 | Pakistan | Mirpur | 2014 |
| Shakib Al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim | 112 | Australia | Mirpur | 2014 |
| Aftab Ahmed and Mohammad Ashraful (Bangladesh) | 109 | West Indies | Johannesburg | 2007 |
| Rassie van der Dussen and Aiden Markram (South Africa) | 103 | England | Sharjah | 2021 |
| Shane Watson and David Hussey (Australia) | 98 | Pakistan | Gros Islet | 2010 |
| Johnson Charles and Lendl Simmons (West Indies) | 97 | India | Wankhede | 2016 |
| Matthew Cross and Richie Berrington (Scotland) | 92 | PNG | Al Amerat, | 2021 |
| Mohammad Ashraful and Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) | 91 | Pakistan | Gros Islet | 2010 |
Highest T20 World Cup Partnership by Wicket
| Overall | 1st Wicket | 2nd Wicket |
| 3rd Wicket | 4th Wicket | 5th Wicket |
| 6th Wicket | 7th Wicket | 8th Wicket |
| 9th Wicket | 10th Wicket |