5 Highest Partnerships In IPL History till February 2026

AB de Villiers (L) and Virat Kohli (R) for RCB in IPL (Source: AFP)

Building the big partnerships in the shortest format of the game, especially in the IPL, helps the teams to post massive 200+ totals on the board in the allotted 20 overs. It happened several times when the amazing batting duos stood in the middle to form historic partnerships and help their side post a huge total. 

These duos include the legends who have retired from the IPL; the list also features the batters who are still active in the tournament and showcasing their batting prowess. Hence, here’s a look at the 5 highest partnerships in IPL history. 

5 Highest partnerships in IPL history

5. Shaun Marsh and Adam Gilchrist - 206 runs for PBKS, IPL 2011

In IPL 2011, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) took on RCB in the tournament’s 63rd game at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala on May 17, 2011. The then-hosts’ skipper, Adam Gilchrist, won the toss and decided to bat first. 

Punjab had lost their first wicket at the score of just 25 runs in the fourth over of the innings. Then came an iconic partnership between two Aussie veterans, Shaun Marsh and Adam Gilchrist. The Marsh-Gilchrist duo added 206 runs for the second wicket to help PBKS post a big total of 232 runs for the loss of just two wickets. 

Gilchrist completed his century, scoring 106 runs off just 55 balls, with eight fours and nine sixes, followed by Marsh’s unbeaten 79 runs off 49 balls, with seven fours and five sixes. Punjab Kings won this game by a massive margin of 111 runs, bundling out RCB at the score of just 121 runs in 17 overs. 

4. Shubman Gill and B Sai Sudharsan - 210 runs for Gujarat Titans, IPL 2024 

Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings faced off in the 59th match of IPL 2024 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The visiting skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad, won the toss and asked GT to bat first. 

The opening duo of Sai Sudharsan and skipper Shubman Gill provided an outstanding opening start for their side. Gill and Sudharsan stitched an astonishing partnership of 210 runs in 17.2 overs. Both Gill and Sudharsan completed their centuries, scoring 103 and 104 runs, respectively. 

This partnership propelled GT to the total of 231 runs for the loss of just three wickets in the allotted 20 overs. While defending the target, the Gujarat Titans’ bowling attack restricted RCB to the score of 196 runs for the loss of eight wickets in the entire 20 overs to win the game by 35 runs. 

3. KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock - 210* runs for LSG, IPL 2022

In their debut season in IPL 2022, the Lucknow Super Giants took on the then-two-time IPL champions, KKR, in the tournament’s 68th fixture. The game was played at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai on May 18, 2022. The then-LSG skipper KL Rahul won the toss and opted to bat first. 

KL Rahul himself came, alongside Quinton de Kock, to open the innings for LSG. The duo brutally troubled the KKR bowling attack as they went unbeaten throughout the entire first innings. KL-De Kock duo stitched an unbeaten opening partnership of 210 runs. 

De Kock scored an unbeaten 140 runs off just 70 balls, with 10 fours and 10 sixes. Later in the second innings, KKR went very close to the target, but they were eventually restricted to 208/8 in the entire 20 overs. LSG won this game by a thrilling margin of two runs, with De Kock winning the ‘Player of the Match’ award. 

2. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers - 215* runs for RCB, IPL 2015 

In IPL 2015, The then-Virat Kohli-led RCB took on the eventual champions of that season, the Mumbai Indians, in the 46th match of the tournament. The game was played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 10, 2015. 

RCB won the toss and took the charge with the bat first. The visitors lost their first wicket, Chris Gayle, at the team’s score of just 20 runs in 3.1 overs. Following Gayle’s departure, skipper Virat Kohli and the blistering batter, AB de Villiers, destroyed the MI’s bowling attack with their explosive batting. 

The Kohli-De Villiers duo stitched an unbeaten and match-winning partnership of 215 runs for the second wicket. Kohli scored 82 runs off 50 balls, with six fours and four sixes. His half-centuries were accompanied by De Villiers’ sensational century, 133 runs off just 59 balls, with 19 fours and four sixes. 

Later in the second innings, MI could score just 196 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the entire 20 overs. RCB won the game by 39 runs, with De Villiers winning the ‘Player of the Match’ award. 

1. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers - 229 runs for RCB,  IPL 2016 

IPL 2016 was both a memorable and forgettable season for RCB. They enjoyed a brilliant run throughout the tournament but faced a narrow and heartbreaking eight-run defeat in the title clash against SRH. 

Meanwhile, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers stitched a partnership for RCB during this edition, which is still the highest ever partnership of all time in the tournament’s history. It was the 44th game of the tournament, played between RCB and Gujarat Lions. 

Gujarat Lions won the flip of the coin and invited RCB to bat first. The latter faced an early blow in the fourth over, losing Chris Gayle at the team’s score of just 19 runs. But what followed this dismissal was something historic for RCB and their fans. 

The legendary duo of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers smashed a swashbuckling partnership of 229 runs for the second wicket. Kohli scored 109 runs off just 55 balls, with five fours and eight sixes, alongside De Villiers’ 129 runs off just 52 balls, with 10 fours and 12 sixes. 

RCB won this game by 144 runs, bundling out the Lions at just 104 runs in 18.4 overs. This historic partnership between Kohli and De Villiers still ranks first in the list of highest partnerships in the tournament’s history.