Sri Lanka is one of the top Asian teams in cricket. They had seen many ups and downs in cricket. But one thing that has been consistent for them is having some world class spinners and a strong batting lineup. The likes of Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and Upul Tharanga are some of the batting legends from this country.
And together they have made many records their teams. Sri Lanka has a total of 19 partnerships of 200 or more in ODI cricket. And most of them came from the top order, which we will discuss here. This article will have the highest opening stand for Sri Lanka in the ODI format.
Highest Opening Partnership in ODI by Sri Lanka
| Pair | Runs | Against | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga | 286 | England | Leeds | 1 Jul 2006 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga | 282 | Zimbabwe | Pallekele | 10 Mar 2011 |
| Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya | 237 | Australia | Sydney | 9 Jan 2003 |
| Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga | 231* | England | Colombo (RPS) | 26 Mar 2011 |
| Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka | 229 | Zimbabwe | Hambantota | 6 Jul 2017 |
| Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene | 215 | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 8 Jan 2010 |
| Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene | 213 | India | Kingston | 2 Jul 2013 |
| Niroshan Dickwella and Danushka Gunathilaka | 209 | Zimbabwe | Hambantota | 8 Jul 2017 |
| Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene | 202 | Pakistan | Dambulla | 3 Aug 2009 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga | 201 | New Zealand | Napier | 28 Dec 2006 |
3. Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya (237) vs Australia in 2003
Former Sri Lanka opening pair Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya registered the third-highest partnership for the first wicket for their country. It was made in January 2003, in the 6th game of the VB series against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Batting first, Sri Lanka scored a big score of 343/5 in their inning. They had a great start, with both openers adding 237 runs for the first wicket in 33.4 overs.
Atapattu scored 101 runs with five fours, while skipper Jayasuriya made 122 off 105, including 12 fours and four sixes. Chasing a big score, Australia needed a big partnership, but they didn’t get it. They got dismissed for 264 runs in 49.3 overs and lost the game by 79 runs. Jayasuriya took 4/39 with the ball as well. He was adjudged “Man of the Match” for his all-round performance.
2. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga (282) vs Zimbabwe in 2011
The pair to register the second-highest opening stand for Sri Lanka was Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga. This record came in the 2011 ODI World Cup when Sri Lanka locked horns with Zimbabwe in the 26th game of the tournament in Pallekele. Zimbabwe decided to bowl after winning the toss. The Sri Lankan openers toyed with the opposition’s bowling. Both batters added a massive stand of 282 runs in 44.4 overs.
Tharanga made 133 runs with 17 boundaries in his inning. Meanwhile, Dilshan scored 144 off 131, with 16 fours and one six in his knock. Sri Lanka scored a big total of 327/6 in the first inning. It was more than enough against Zimbabwe, and they didn’t look comfortable chasing the big total. They got dismissed for 188 runs in 39 overs and lost the game by 139 runs. Dilshan also took 4/4 with the ball in addition to his century.
1. Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga (286) vs England in 2006
The highest opening stand for Sri Lanka came in a big chase. It was against England in the final ODI of the five-match series when Sri Lanka toured England. After winning the toss, England batted first and scored a challenging total of 321/7 in 50 overs. English opener Marcus Trescothick scored 121 runs to guide his team to a big total. It was a massive score to chase, and Sri Lanka was looking to have a good start from their openers.
And that’s exactly what happened. Sanath Jayasuriya and Upul Tharanga added a record-breaking partnership of 286 runs in just 31.5 overs to help their team achieve a comprehensive chase. Tharanga made 109 runs with 14 fours and sixes. On the other hand, Jayasuriya smashed a 72-ball century and made 152 off 99 balls, with 20 fours and four sixes. Sri Lanka made 324/2 in just 37.3 overs and won by 8 wickets with 75 balls to spare.