Top 3 highest opening partnerships by South Africa in T20I cricket

South Africa demonstrated the opening partnerships between varied batting styles and their cricket’s strategic ability in the T20 format. They blend aggression with calculated stroke play in the shortest format of the game. 

Hasim Amla’s classical technique combined with Quinton de Kock’s aggressive approach created the perfect balance, and they capitalized on opposition bowlers with finesse. These partnerships not only underline the team’s depth in talent but also win matches. 

3. 132* – Loots Bosman & Graeme Smith vs Pakistan in 2007

After being asked to bat first, Pakistan battled to 8 for 129, with just two batsmen reaching 20 against South Africa’s all-pace attack on a wicket where bowlers could swing the ball and get movement off the ground. South Africa cruised to a 10-wicket victory against Pakistan in the one-off T20I at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg, led by Graeme Smith and Loots Bosman.  

Smith and Bosman went all guns blazing, taking the Proteas to 132 for 0 in 11.3 overs. Smith scored 71 runs from 40 balls, including nine fours and four sixes and Bosman was unbeaten on 53 off 32 balls with five fours and two sixes. Smith then became the first batsman to score three half-centuries in the shortest form of the game. 

2. 152 – Quinton de Kock & Reeza Hendricks vs West Indies in 2023

South Africa defeated West Indies by six wickets in the second Twenty20 International in Centurion. The toss was won by Aiden Markram and he invited West Indies to bat first. 

Johnson Charles, the West Indies’ opening batter, lit up Centurion with a stunning maiden T20 international century as the West Indies muscled their way to a huge 258/5 in their allocated 20 overs. The right-hander reached his century in 39 balls, the fastest by a WI batter, breaking Chris Gayle’s record. 

Proteas openers Quinton De Kock and Reeza Hendricks laid the foundation for the record chase with a 152-run partnership inside 11 overs, De Kock’s 43-ball century was the second-fastest in T20Is by a South African hitter. The ton by the left-handed batter was also the fastest by a wicketkeeper in T20Is. Hendricks kept the intensity high with a 28-ball 68. 

1. 170 – Loots Bosman & Graeme Smith vs England in 2009

South Africa elected to bat first after winning the toss at the Centurion. With Loots Bossman and Graeme Smith opening the innings for the Proteas. Bossman was just one hit away from recording the second century in Twenty20 internationals he scored a blistering knock of 94 runs in just 45 balls, and along with him, Smith hammered 88 from 44 balls. They both recorded 170 runs opening partnership for the first wicket, taking their total to a mammoth score of 241/6. The opening pair struck 15 sixes and 13 boundaries and batted at a strike rate of over 200.

England began with a needed run rate of 12.10 runs per over. They looked in good touch like their batting performance from the first T20I game, and a handful of excellent partnerships only served to delay the inevitable total. Jonathan Trott seemed in terrific form once again, scoring a fantastic 51. Pietersen, too, appeared to be in fantastic form and produced some runs. But it was too much to ask for in the end, as the batters collapsed under pressure and could only score 157/8 in their 20 overs.