A well-stitched partnership can, alone define the course of the match. It is one of the crucial aspects of batting, as having the right partner at the other end can improve a player’s game. A batter could motivate the other to play his natural game and bring out the talent. Communication, too plays an important role while building big partnerships. Many legends have made it to the international stage from the island nation of Sri Lanka. While keeping the cricket fans entertained, they have immensely contributed to their team’s success. In this article, we will learn about the biggest partnerships for Sri Lanka in ODI cricket.

1. Upul Tharanga And Sanath Jayasuriya Vs. England

We begin this list with Upul Tharanga and Sanath Jayasuriya’s opening knock of 286 runs against England in the fifth ODI of Sri Lanka’s tour of England in 2006. While chasing a target of 321 runs, the duo laid down the foundation with this partnership, and Sri Lanka ultimately won the match by eight wickets.

2. Upul Tharanga And Tillakaratne Dilshan Vs. Zimbabwe

On number two, we have Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan with their 282-run opening partnership. This knock came against Zimbabwe in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. With the help of this partnership, Sri Lanka posted a total of 327 runs on the board. In reply, Zimbabwe could score only 188 runs and lost the match by 139 runs.

3. Kusal Mendis And Avishka Fernando Vs. West Indies

Next up on the list are Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando, who put together 239 runs for the third wicket against West Indies. In the second ODI of the West Indies tour of Sri Lanka in 2020, the duo guided their team to a massive total of 345 runs. Following this, brilliant bowling restricted West Indies to only 184 runs.

4. Sanath Jayasuriya And Marvan Atapattu Vs Australia

On the fourth spot of this list, we have Sanath Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu’s opening stand of 237 runs. In the sixth match of the 2003 VB Series, Sri Lanka put forward a target of 344 runs for the Australian team. The Kangaroos were handed a 79-run defeat as they got bowled out for only 264 runs.

5. Upul Tharanga And Tillakaratne Dilshan Vs. England

Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan stand in the fifth position on this list with their unbeaten opening partnership of 231 runs against England. In the Quarter-Final match of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, the Sri Lankan team emerged victorious as they chased down England’s target of 229 runs without losing even a single wicket.

6. Danushka Gunathilaka And N. Dickewella Vs. Zimbabwe

Making it to the sixth place on this list is Danushka Gunathilaka and N. Dickewella’s 229-run opening stand. During Zimbabwe’s tour of Sri Lanka in 2017, the visitors batted first and scored 310 runs. In reply, the hosts chased down the total in the 48th over with eight wickets still in hand.

7. Mahela Jayawardene And Marvan Atapattu Vs. India

On number seven, we have Mahela Jayawardene and Marvan Atapattu, who stitched a 226-run partnership against India in the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy of 2000. The Sri Lankan batter scored 294 runs in the first inning. Following this, the bowlers performed brilliantly to restrict the Indians to only 226 runs.

8. Upul Tharanga And Mahela Jayawardene Vs. Bangladesh

The 215-run opening partnership between Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene makes it to the eighth position on this list. During the Tri-Nation Tournament in Bangladesh, the hosts scored 249 runs in their 50 overs. Sri Lanka chased down the target with ease and recorded a nine-wicket victory.

9. Sanath Jayasuriya And PA De Silva Vs. Pakistan

On the ninth spot of this list, we have Sanath Jayasuriya and PA de Silva with their unbeaten partnership of 213 runs against Pakistan in the Wills Quadrangular Tournament of 1997. The duo guided Sri Lanka to an easy victory over Pakistan as they chased down the target of 280 runs with ten overs left in the inning.

10. Upul Tharanga And Mahela Jayawardene Vs. India

Last but not least, the final knock to make it to this list of top partnerships is the 213-run stand between Upul Tharanga and Mahela Jayawardene. While playing against India in the West Indies Tri-Nation Series, Sri Lanka scored 348 runs in the first inning. In response, the Indian batters got bowled out for only 187 runs.