Highest 4th wicket partnership in ODI: The Zimbabwean pair joined hands for a match-winning partnership to turn the tables.
Advertisement
During the first ODI of Bangladesh’s tour of Zimbabwe 2022 in Harare, Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 5 wickets to attain a 1-0 series lead in a three-match series.
A lot of sweeter than their recent ODI wins despite the limited number, Zimbabwe would be relishing registering their joint third-highest run-chase in the format. Only their fourth ODI run-chase in excess of 300 runs, this one is the first in the last five years.
Zimbabwe wouldn’t have ended on the winning side had it not been for batter Innocent Kaia and all-rounder Sikander Raza’s individual centuries. Kaia and Raza, who joined hands for a 192-run fourth-wicket partnership, scored their first and fourth ODI centuries respectively.
It was in the 14th over when Kaia and Raza found themselves in the middle at the Harare Sports Club needing 242 runs off 221 deliveries. What followed was a 172-ball stand which encompassed of a recipe for a memorable victory.
It was in the 39th over when both the batters reached the three-figure mark. While Kaia scored 110* (122) with the help of 11 fours and two sixes before getting out in the 42nd over, Raza ensured going past the winning line by scoring 135* (109) at a strike rate of 123.85 comprising of eight fours and six sixes.
Highest 4th wicket partnership in ODI among Zimbabwean batters
Joint 17th highest fourth-wicket partnership in ODIs, Kaia and Raza’s match-winning partnership became the second-highest for this wicket among Zimbabwean batters. Readers must note that Kaia and Raza surpassed a 187-run fourth-wicket partnership between Stuart Carlisle and Grant Flower in an unsuccessful 303-run chase against Australia in Perth over two decades ago.
ALSO READ: Highest 5th wicket partnership in ODI history
Interestingly, highest ODI fourth-wicket partnership for Zimbabwe also features Carlisle in an unsuccessful ODI run-chase in a match played down under. Chasing a 281-run target against India in Adelaide, Carlisle and Sean Ervine had scored individual centuries in a 202-run stand 18 years ago.
4th wicket partnership record in ODI history
| S. No | Batters | Runs | Team | Opposition | Venue | Year |
| 1 | Mohammad Azharuddin & Ajay Jadeja | 275* | India | Zimbabwe | Barabati Stadium | 1998 |
| 2 | Yuvraj Singh & MS Dhoni | 256 | India | England | Barabati Stadium | 2017 |
| 3 | Faf du Plessis and David Miller | 252 | South Africa | Australia | Bellerive Oval | 2018 |
| 4 | Ricky Ponting & Andrew Symonds | 237 | Australia | Sri Lanka | Sydney Cricket Ground | 2006 |
| 5 | Daryll Cullinan & Jonty Rhodes | 232 | South Africa | Pakistan | Gymkhana Club Ground | 1996 |
