Top 3 highest partnerships between Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist in ODIs

The duo of Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist was one of the best opening pairs of its time in ODIs. The duo was one of the prime reasons behind the domination of Australia in ODIs in the period 1999-2007. Someone like Matthew Hayden replaced Mark Waugh in the side and made the position his own. While Adam Gilchrist used to go bonkers at the top, Hayden used to take a bit of his time and then unleash his beast form with the bat. At their best, Gilchrist and Hayden created mayhem at the top. Here are the top 3 highest partnerships between Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist in ODIs.

#1 172 against Sri Lanka in Bridgetown 2007

It was the final of the 2007 ODI World Cup in Bridgetown on the reserve day. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in a rain affected game. Honestly, it was the day of Adam Gilchrist. The Southpaw got going and never stopped. Against a good attack of Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, and Muttiah Muralitharan, Gilchrist was extraordinary. The wicketkeeper batter destroyed Sri Lanka in the finals and registered 149(104). Hayden, on the other hand, scored a mere 38(55) and was the first one to get dismissed! The duo scored 172 runs in just 137 deliveries and set the platform for Australia.

#2 170 against South Africa in Durban 2002

Chasing 268 on a tricky Durban wicket, Australia relied on its opening pair to do the job. The duo of the two Southpaws didn’t disappoint. It was yet another Gilchrist show with the bat. The wicketkeeper batter raced away to 105(104) and dominated the partnership. Hayden scored 59(91) from his blade and anchored the run chase. The duo scored 170 runs in 182 deliveries. Australia won the game comfortably by 8 wickets. 

#3 140 against Bangladesh in Manchester 2005

It was the 6th match of the 2005 Natwest series between Australia and Bangladesh in Manchester. Opting to bowl first, Australia restricted Bangladesh to a paltry total of 139. Chasing 140, Australia never looked under pressure. The opening duo Gilchrist and Hayden won the game by themselves. Both the batters scored 66 each and hammered the Bangladeshi bowlers. Australia chased the target in just 19 overs.