T20 World Cup: The T20 is the most popular format of cricket among fans. It gives more thrill and excitement to the fans in a span of a few hours. And with the T20 World Cup just 5 months away, all the teams are preparing for the mega event. Every player and every team dreams of lifting one of the most prestigious trophies in cricket. Last year, the Men in Yellow won their maiden T20I World Cup. Now they will host this multi-national tournament.
But it takes a lot from the players and team to achieve this feat. One of those factors is a strong batting middle-order. A strong middle-order always gives a team the best chance to go for a win. And the role of batsmen at fifth and fourth position becomes more vital. So, in this article, we will discuss the top ten highest fourth-wicket partnerships in the T20 World Cup.
1. PWH de Silva and P Nissanka (123) against Ireland in the T20 World Cup 2021
It’s been almost 15 years since the inception of the T20 World Cup. But the highest fourth-wicket partnership came in the last event in the UAE. This was the 8th match of the tournament between Sri Lanka and Ireland in Abu Dhabi. Sri Lanka batted first after losing the toss. Ireland had a great start as they took the first three wickets for just 8 runs within the first two overs. It looked like it would be a big upset for the Lankan Lions.
But then came the match-turning partnership between opener Pathum Nissanka (61) and all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga. Both batters added 123 runs for the fourth wicket to take Sri Lanka out of the misery. Both batsmen also scored their respective half-centuries, and they posted 171/7 in their 20 overs. Chasing the target, Ireland never looked in control and got all out for 101, handing Sri Lanka a big win of 70 runs. Hasaranga was named Man of the Match for his 71-run knock and 1/12 in four overs.
2. Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan (112) against Sri Lanka in the T20I World Cup 2021
The second highest partnership also came in the same World Cup in the 29th match. England locked horns against Sri Lanka and batted first after losing the toss. Sri Lanka, who looked good throughout the tournament, got the first three English wickets cheaply for just 35 runs. But then, Jos Buttler and skipper Eoin Morgan (40) stopped the fall of the wickets and put on a big partnership. Both batters added 112 runs for the fourth wicket to help England post a score of 163/4. Buttler also scored an unbeaten century.
Defending the target, English bowlers were all over Sri Lanka and, from the very first over, started to take wickets. As a result, they were bowled out for 137 runs and lost the match by 26 runs. Buttler was named “Man of the Match” for his knock of 101*.
3. Eoin Morgan and Alex Hales (107) against West Indies in the T20I World Cup 2012
This was the 14th match in the tournament between West Indies and England. Batting first, West Indies gave a target of 180 runs to chase. Johnson Charles (84) and Chris Gayle (58) were the top scores. Chasing the target, England lost their first two wickets without any score in the first three balls. Jonny Bairstow fell for the third English wicket after a struggling 18 off 29 balls. It brought Eoin Morgan to the crease.
Both batters played according to the situation and scored some vital runs for the team. Both added 107 runs for the fourth wicket to bring England back into the chase. But in the end, it was too big of a target, and the English team fell short by 15 runs. Eventually, it was the West Indies who won that T20 World Cup as well.
T20 World Cup Highest Fourth Wicket Partnership List
| Batters | Partnership | Against | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PWH de Silva and P Nissanka (Sri Lanka) | 123 | Ireland | Abu Dhabi | 2021 |
| Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan (England) | 112 | Sri Lanka | Sharjah | 2021 |
| Eoin Morgan and Alex Hales (England) | 107 | West Indies | Pallekele | 2012 |
| Martin Guptill and Glenn Phillips (New Zealand) | 105 | Scotland | Dubai | 2021 |
| Shoaib Mallik and Younis Khan (Pakistan) | 101 | Sri Lanka | Johannesburg | 2007 |
| K. Brian and A. Poynter (Ireland) | 101 | Netherlands | Syllhet | 2014 |
| Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen (England) | 100 | Zimbabwe | Capetown | 2007 |
| B. Mendis and Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka) | 94 | Zimbabwe | Hambantota | 2012 |
| MG Erasmus and David Wiese (Namibia) | 93 | Netherlands | Abu Dhabi | 2021 |
| P Khadka and S Vesawkar (Nepal) | 85 | Bangladesh | Chittagong | 2014 |
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 |