Highest Partnerships in IPL History

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers hold the record for the highest partnership in IPL history, adding 229 runs for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Gujarat Lions in 2016. Their second-wicket stand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium remains unbeaten as the IPL’s biggest partnership through the 2026 season.

KL Rahul and Nitish Rana moved into second place in 2026 with a 220-run partnership for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings. Kohli and de Villiers also occupy third place with their unbeaten 215-run stand against Mumbai Indians in 2015, while the highest opening partnership remains 210 runs.

Top 10 Highest Partnerships in IPL History

The 2026 season changed the top three for the first time in years. Rahul and Rana's 220-run stand moved ahead of Kohli and de Villiers' 215*, but the 229-run record from 2016 still stands.

1. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers – 229 Runs vs Gujarat Lions

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers' 229-run partnership is the highest partnership in IPL history. The RCB pair produced the record for the second wicket against Gujarat Lions in Bengaluru on May 14, 2016.

RCB had lost Chris Gayle early before Kohli and de Villiers took control. De Villiers scored 129 not out from 52 balls, while Kohli made 109.

Their partnership carried RCB to 248/3. Gujarat Lions were then bowled out for 104, giving Bengaluru a 144-run victory.

At the time, the 229-run stand was also the highest partnership in all T20 cricket.

2. KL Rahul and Nitish Rana – 220 Runs vs Punjab Kings

KL Rahul and Nitish Rana added 220 runs for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings in IPL 2026, producing the second-highest partnership in league history.

Rahul remained unbeaten on 152, while Rana struck 91 from 44 balls. Their partnership helped Delhi Capitals reach 264/2 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Punjab Kings then chased 265 in 18.5 overs to win by six wickets, so the second-highest partnership in IPL history came in a losing cause.

The 220-run stand moved Rahul and Rana above Kohli and de Villiers' unbeaten 215 from 2015.

3. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers – 215* vs Mumbai Indians

Kohli and de Villiers also hold the third position with an unbeaten 215-run partnership against Mumbai Indians in 2015.

RCB lost Chris Gayle in the fourth over before de Villiers joined Kohli.

De Villiers finished unbeaten on 133, while Kohli made 82 not out. Their partnership took Bengaluru to 235/1 at Wankhede Stadium.

RCB won the match by 39 runs after restricting Mumbai Indians to 196/7.

A year later, the same pair improved their own IPL partnership record to 229.

4. Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul – 210* vs KKR

Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul added an unbeaten 210 for Lucknow Super Giants against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2022. It remains one of the two joint-highest opening partnerships in IPL history.

De Kock made 140 not out, while Rahul finished unbeaten on 68.

The pair batted through the full 20 overs as LSG finished on 210/0.

KKR came extremely close in the chase but finished on 208/8, giving Lucknow a two-run victory.

It was the first 200-plus opening partnership in IPL history.

5. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan – 210 vs CSK

Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan matched the 210-run opening partnership record for Gujarat Titans against Chennai Super Kings in 2024.

Both batters scored centuries.

Gill made 104 from 55 balls, while Sudharsan scored 103 from 51 deliveries.

The stand took Gujarat Titans to 231/3. CSK replied with 196/8, giving Gujarat a 35-run win.

Gill and Sudharsan therefore share the highest IPL opening partnership record with de Kock and Rahul.

6. Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh – 206 vs RCB

Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh added 206 runs for the second wicket for Kings XI Punjab against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamsala in 2011.

The partnership held the overall IPL record until Kohli and de Villiers passed it with their 215-run stand in 2015. IPL's official statistics identified the 206-run partnership as the previous benchmark.

Gilchrist and Marsh were also the first IPL pair to cross 200 runs in a partnership.

The stand remained inside the all-time top six even after the scoring growth of later IPL seasons.

7. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan – 205* vs Delhi Capitals

Gill and Sudharsan appear for the second time in the top ten after adding an unbroken 205 against Delhi Capitals in 2025.

The partnership came while Gujarat Titans were chasing against Delhi.

Their 205-run stand followed the 210 they had produced together a season earlier, giving them two entries above 200 runs.

That achievement places Gill and Sudharsan alongside Kohli and de Villiers as the only pairs with multiple partnerships above 200 in the current all-time top list.

8. Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli – 204* vs Delhi Daredevils

Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli shared an unbeaten 204-run second-wicket partnership for RCB against Delhi Daredevils in 2012.

Gayle dominated the innings with 128 not out from 62 balls, including 13 sixes. Kohli contributed 73 from 53 balls.

RCB reached 215/1 and won the match by 21 runs.

At the time, the 204-run partnership was the second-highest in IPL history behind Gilchrist and Marsh's 206.

Kohli therefore appears in three of the eight biggest partnerships in IPL history.

9. David Warner and Naman Ojha – 189* vs Deccan Chargers

David Warner and Naman Ojha combined for an unbeaten 189-run partnership for Delhi Daredevils against Deccan Chargers in 2012.

The pair's second-wicket stand remains among the ten highest partnerships recorded in the IPL.

Warner later formed another top-ten partnership with Jonny Bairstow while playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad.

10. David Warner and Jonny Bairstow – 185 vs RCB

David Warner and Jonny Bairstow added 185 runs for the opening wicket against RCB in 2019.

The Sunrisers Hyderabad pair both scored centuries in the match and built one of the highest opening stands in IPL history.

Their 185-run partnership remains behind the 210-run opening record shared by de Kock-Rahul and Gill-Sudharsan.

Highest Opening Partnership in IPL History

The record for the highest opening partnership in IPL history is 210 runs, shared by two pairs.

De Kock and Rahul's stand was unbeaten, while Gill and Sudharsan were eventually dismissed after reaching the same total.

Highest Second-Wicket Partnership in IPL

Kohli and de Villiers' 229-run stand is also the highest second-wicket partnership in IPL history.

The top of the overall partnership list is heavily dominated by second-wicket stands:

Four of the five 200-plus second-wicket stands on this list involve either Virat Kohli or KL Rahul.

Most 200-Run Partnerships in IPL History

Only a small group of batting pairs have crossed 200 together in IPL history.

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers have done it twice, with partnerships of 229 and 215*. Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan also appear twice, with stands of 210 and 205*.

Other 200-plus partnerships include:

• KL Rahul and Nitish Rana – 220
• Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul – 210*
• Adam Gilchrist and Shaun Marsh – 206
• Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli – 204*

That gives the current all-time list eight partnerships of 200 runs or more through IPL 2026.

How IPL 2026 Changed the Partnership Record List

The biggest change in 2026 came on April 25 when KL Rahul and Nitish Rana added 220 for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings.

Before that match, Kohli and de Villiers occupied the top two positions with 229 and 215*.

Rahul and Rana split those two entries by moving into second place.

Their stand fell nine runs short of the all-time record, so Kohli and de Villiers remain first with 229.

Which Pair Has the Highest Partnership in IPL History?

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers remain the record holders with 229 runs.

The partnership came against Gujarat Lions in IPL 2016 and has survived several 200-plus stands since then.

KL Rahul and Nitish Rana are currently the closest pair after their 220-run stand in 2026.

FAQs

What is the highest partnership in IPL history?

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers hold the record with a 229-run partnership for RCB against Gujarat Lions in 2016. Kohli scored 109 and de Villiers made 129 not out.

Who has the second-highest partnership in IPL history?

KL Rahul and Nitish Rana hold second place with 220 runs for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings in 2026.

What is the highest opening partnership in IPL?

The highest opening partnership is 210 runs. Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul made an unbeaten 210 for LSG in 2022, while Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan matched 210 for Gujarat Titans in 2024.

How many 200-run partnerships have there been in IPL?

The current all-time list contains eight partnerships of at least 200 runs through IPL 2026. Kohli-de Villiers and Gill-Sudharsan are the only pairs to appear twice among them.

Which player appears most often among the highest IPL partnerships?

Virat Kohli features in three of the top eight partnerships: 229 and 215* with AB de Villiers, and 204* with Chris Gayle.

Related IPL Records

• Highest Team Scores in IPL History
• Highest Individual Scores in IPL History
• Most Runs in IPL History
• Most Centuries in IPL History
• Highest Opening Partnerships in IPL History

Sources

• IPL official match report for Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers' 229-run partnership against Gujarat Lions in 2016.
• IPL official match report for KL Rahul and Nitish Rana's 220-run partnership in IPL 2026.
• IPL official report for Kohli and de Villiers' unbeaten 215 against Mumbai Indians in 2015.
• IPL official match report for Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul's unbeaten 210 against KKR in 2022.
• IPL official match report for Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan's 210 against CSK in 2024.
• IPL official statistics for Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli's 204 partnership in 2012*.
• Updated IPL partnership record list through 2026.