Pakistan Super League: Elliott and Babar break world record for 10th wicket partnership in T20s
In the 17th Match of Pakistan Super League, Grant Elliot and Zulfiqar Babar set a new world record by scoring the most runs for 10th wicket in a T20 match. The match was played between Sarfraz Khan-led Quetta Gladiators and Shahid Afridi’s Peshawar Zalmi.
Batting First, Quetta Gladiators started aggressively early on in the innings before Ahmed Shehzad was dismissed by Wahab Riaz. Gladiators were 40-0 in 4.1 overs before his dismissal.
What ensued after that was one of the worst collapses in any sort of professional cricket. Gladiators were soon struggling on 47-4 and then 66-9 in 13th over.
For the team which is on the top of the table, this was the most humiliating moment one can imagine. However, that is when Grant Elliott was joined at the crease by Zulfiqar Babar.
The 14th over was bowled by Shaun Tait who was hammered two fours and a six by Grant Elliott. Next over was bowled by Muhammad Asghar who was dismissed for a four and a six by Zulfiqar Babar off the first two balls, before Grant Elliot sent a flat-six off the last ball.
Before Junaid Khan finally dismissed Grant Elliot on the last ball of 18th over, Elliott and Babar had already made 63 runs for the 10th wicket, which conveniently broke the world record for highest 10th wicket partnership in a T20 Game.
The previous best made 11 years ago when Heath Streak and James Anyon made 59 runs playing for Warwickshire on 1st July 2005.
Including today’s instance, there have been only 4 instances when 50+ runs have been made for 10th wicket stand.
Some of the best 10th wicket partnerships (above 40) in all T20 games have been enlisted below.
Highest partnerships for the 10th wicket
Partners | Runs | Team | Opposition | Ground | Match Date |
| Grant Elliott, Zulfiqar Babar | 63 | Quetta Gladiators | Peshawar Zalmi | Sharjah | 14-Feb-16 |
| HH Streak, JE Anyon | 59 | Warwickshire | v Worcs | Birmingham | 1-Jul-05 |
| R Frylinck, P Subrayen | 55* | Dolphins | v Lahore Lions | Bangalore | 27-Sep-14 |
| J Lewis, SP Kirby | 55 | Gloucs | v Glamorgan | Cardiff | 27-May-09 |
| Bipul Sharma, L Ablish | 48* | Punjab | v Haryana | Delhi | 20-Oct-10 |
| HGJM Kulatunga, UWMBCA Welegedara | 46* | Wayamba | v Basnahira S | Colombo (Colts) | 23-Apr-08 |
| AR Adams, MD Bates | 45 | Auckland | v Titans | Durban | 17-Oct-12 |
| Adnan Rasool, Aizaz Cheema | 43* | Lahore Lions | v R Rams | Faisalabad | 30-Jun-11 |
| CN Ackermann, BD Walters | 42* | E. Province | v S West D | Port Elizabeth | 26-Jan-14 |
| Ayaz Tasawwar, Najaf Shah | 41* | S Stallions | v R Rams | Faisalabad | 13-May-15 |
| OD Gibson, MF Cleary | 40* | Leics | v Durham | Leicester | 7-Jul-04 |
| Abdur Razzak, Al-Amin Hossain | 40* | Bangladesh | v Bangladesh A | Dhaka | 14-Dec-13 |
| Kabir Ali, MN Malik | 40 | Worcs | v Glamorgan | Worcester | 15-Jul-04 |
| LDP Nishantha, SCA Perera | 40 | Saracens | v Ragama | Colombo (Colts) | 4-Mar-07 |