Record for India openers during blazing start against Pakistan in Asia Cup
India got off to a flier inside the Powerplay in Dubai after being put in to bat by Pakistan on Sunday with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul bringing up the fifty-run stand in the fifth over.
Four sixes had come in the first four overs as India, bolstered by a long batting line-up, put Pakistan on the back foot. Rohit set the tone in the first over, hitting a four and a six off Naseem Shah before Rahul chimed in with a couple of sixes in Naseem's second over.
Three of the first four overs had gone for over 10 runs as India brought up the fifty-run opening stand two balls after the fourth over.
The stand was the 14th time Rohit and Rahul had combined in a fifty-plus run partnership in T20Is. This is the most by any pair in men's T20Is, going past Kevin O'Brien and Paul Stirling, who have 13 such stands.
The pair has five century partnerships and nine other fifty-plus run stands in the format. The other Indian pair with more than 10 fifty-plus run partnerships is Shikhar Dhawan-Rohit Sharma.
| Batting pairs (men's T20Is) | Partnership runs | Century stands | Fifty stands | Fifty-plus stands |
| KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma | 1628 | 5 | 9 | 14 |
| Kevin O'Brien, Paul Stirling | 1720 | 3 | 10 | 13 |
| Andy Balbirnie, Paul Stirling | 1454 | 1 | 11 | 12 |
| Kyle Coetzer, George Munsey | 1577 | 2 | 10 | 12 |
| Martin Guptill, Kane Williamson | 1389 | 4 | 8 | 12 |
The corresponding record in women's T20Is, and all T20Is, is held by Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, with the New Zealand pair recording 17 partnerships of fifty or more in T20Is.
