Top 3 opening pairs in T20 cricket
The importance of opening pairs in cricket, particularly in the shortest format of the game, cannot be overstated. A belligerent start at the top does half the work for the batting lineup and gives the incoming batters the freedom to play to their shots.
Conversely, a botched performance by the openers could put pressure on the middle-order, who do not even have the luxury of playing dot balls in fast-paced T20 cricket.
With that said, let's look at the top 3 opening pairs in T20 cricket.
#3 Aaron Finch and David Warner (Australia)
Aaron Finch and David Warner are one of the most successful opening pairs in white-ball cricket. Yet, it will be interesting to see if they get the green light for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in Australia.
Cameron Green has made a convincing claim for the opening berth in the series against India. The 23-year-old was in sublime form and delivered two half-centuries at a phenomenal strike rate of 214.54.
#2 KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma (India)
India have now adopted a more aggressive batting template in T20 cricket. This means that KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma will have to tweak their styles of play to fly the Men in Blue out of the traps.
Rohit Sharma has embraced the role with open arms and was in excellent form against Australia in the recently concluded three-match T20 series. However, KL Rahul is taking his sweet time to adapt.
Rahul scored a fifty in the opening T20I vs Australia but his form tailed off in the latter two matches. Nevertheless, there's no denying that the two have cemented their spots in India's playing XI on the back of consistent displays. They have scored 1704 runs in partnership in 34 innings at an average of 51.63.
#1 Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
The duo are a treat to watch as both Babar and Rizwan are linchpins in Pakistan's batting lineup and have formed the most prolific opening pair in T20Is.
They have stitched up 2043 runs in partnerships with seven hundred opening stands – the most by any opening pair. In the second T20I against England, the Pakistani duo powered their team to a record-breaking chase of 200 without losing a wicket. This was right after they took flak for their sluggish strike rate in the Asia Cup 2022 campaign. The perfect way to silence critics?