- May 11, 2025
Cricket’s a game of moments – but in T20s the moments come thick and fast! And when two batters get together and just go bonkers? That’s a proper box office affair! The Pakistan Super League (PSL) is no stranger to explosive partnerships, but today we will focus on something even more special: the fastest century stands in PSL history. These are the partnerships that had bowlers perspiring, fans cheering, and the scoreboard ticking over like a slot machine! To summarize some massive partnerships that set record-breaking stands, over and over again!
Rizwan’s Fireworks with Rilee: 103 Runs
Rizwan and Rossouw
When it comes to turbo-charged starts to a PSL innings, Rizwan and Rossouw versus the Gladiators in February 2022 is right up there. After the very first wicket fell, the two partnership members did not merely build the innings; they constructed a bloody runway.
To score a stand of 103 runs in a mere 6.1 overs, with an absurd rate of 16.70, is mind-boggling. This is not a typo. 100+ runs in the space of 6.1 overs is an incredible feat. This mind-blowing stand took place at the Lahore stadium, a venue where, quite frankly, bowlers couldn’t believe their luck that night. Rizwan, who is typically the stable, steadying presence of the duo, became somewhat of a passenger as Rossouw went full beast-mode, unrelentingly attacking the Gladiators’ bowlers.
What makes this unique is how Rizwan and Rossouw complemented each other; Rizwan played the smart, thoughtful game while Rossouw just started bludgeoning boundaries. It was vicious, chaotic, and very entertaining. Moreover, the partnership did not just change the course of the game, it crushed all expectations.
Rizwan Again in Tandem with Usman Khan
Rizwan and Usman Khan
If there were questions surrounding Rizwan’s functionality as a T20 batter, he dispelled them in Rawalpindi in March 2023. This time, his collaborator was Usman Khan. The result? A magnificent 157-run partnership in exactly 10 overs, at the staggering rate of 15.70 runs per over. Seriously, 157 runs in 60 balls.
The story? Once again, chasing – or rather, demolishing – the Gladiators returned. How do you explain that Rizwan has a personal vendetta against the Gladiators? Articulating the barrage in this was Usman Khan, who, during the very partnership, scored one of the quickest centuries in PSL history. Rizwan, once again, is the consummate support act, simply rotating the strike and ensuring the run rate never slows.
How was this partnership different than the Rossouw one? The dominant start to finish that this one provided. It was not just a quick flash – it was assiduous damage. By the time they finished, it looked like the Gladiators’ bowlers had faced a cyclone.
Khawaja and King
Usman Khawaja and Brandon King
When we discuss explosive partnerships, this one often goes overlooked, but Usman Khawaja and Brandon King put together an absolute treat back in June 2021 against Peshawar Zalmi in Abu Dhabi. Coming together at 2/145, they went on a tear to put an obscene and unbeaten 102-run partnership together in just 7.1 overs, with a strike rate of 14.23 runs per over.
What made this one special? The calmness. It wasn’t a retched slog-fest, it was chill aggression. Khawaja timed his innings, perhaps to the second, and King played his enforcer role. What might have been a nervy final stretch turned into perfection through calm and shot selection.
Although the numbers are a little less dramatic than the other two, this partnership showed that you don’t always need fireworks to dominate. Sometimes, IQ and smart batting can be just as deadly.
Whether it is Rizwan with Rossouw or Usman Khan, or the underrated brilliance of Khawaja and King, century stands are what make the PSL so compelling. They are not just about runs, they are about momentum and brain games, and making bowlers question their life decisions.
In a format where the game can change with every ball, these rapid partnerships shift the momentum in minutes or an instant. With the PSL expanding, we can only wonder: Who is next to illuminate the league with a blistering 100-run stand? Maybe it will be familiar names, or maybe just maybe, there will be a new set of names rising from the shadows to rewrite the narrative.
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