Top 3 partnerships in IPL history
Over the last 12 years, the league has seen many mesmerizing performances with the bat and ball. One of the best things about the IPL is massive partnerships that arise out of nowhere and take the game away from the opposition.
#3 Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh 206 vs. Royal Challengers Bangalore at Dharamshala.
On May 17, 2011, Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh combined to devastating effect as they beat RCB into submission at the beautiful Dharamshala stadium.
The Australian pair racked up a 2nd wicket partnership of 206 runs - Gilchrist scored 106(55) while Marsh collected 79(55) playing for Punjab, against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Both batsmen took some time before unleashing an array of big shots around the field.
Kings XIs started slowly, but soon Gilchrist and Marsh began scoring boundaries at a brisk pace, and together the pair helped Punjab amass a massive total of 233 runs. The team's playoffs hopes were boosted as they climbed up to the fifth spot in the table with a massive win against Kohli-led RCB at the Dharamshala stadium.
#2 Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers - 215(102) vs. Mumbai Indians at Wankhede, Mumbai
Kohli and De Villiers destroyed Mumbai's bowling attack at the Wankhede stadium. Batting first, it didn't look like a cakewalk for the Royal Challengers as they lost Chris Gayle early.
AB de Villiers came into partner skipper Kohli, and then both batsmen toyed with Mumbai's bowlers till the last delivery.
From the first ball onwards, the pair turned the match into an absolute nightmare for the Mumbai bowlers as they scored boundaries at every end of the pitch throughout the rest of their innings. De Villiers 133*(59) and Kohli 82(50) secured an essential win for RCB at the Wankhede stadium.
#1 Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers- 229 (97) VS Gujarat Lions at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
In IPL 2016, RCB hosted Gujrat Lions at the Chinnaswamy stadium. While batting first, they lost their first wicket in the form of Chris Gayle on the fifth ball of fourth over. To partner Virat Kohli, out walked AB de Villiers, and they completely dismantled Gujarat's bowling attack for the rest of the match
The pair helped RCB survive an initial scare, courtesy to some brilliant shots from both batsmen throughout the innings. During this partnership, both Kohli and De Villiers hit numerous big hits and gave no chance to Gujarat's bowlers whatsoever.
Bangalore easily won the match as Gujarat's batting sank under pressure of a massive total(248). Interestingly, it was the first time when two batsmen had scored centuries in an IPL game.