Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith etched their name in the history books on Tuesday (June 10) in the third T20I between England and West Indies at the Rose Bowl Cricket Ground in Southampton as the hosts aim to complete a series whitewash.

England made Shai Hope pay for his decision to bowl first as the home team's opening pair of Duckett and Smith took the visitors' bowling attack to the cleaners. The duo posted a partnership of 120 runs in just 53 (8.5 overs) at a run-rate (RR) of 13.58.

Ben Duckett- Jamie Smith Create History

Duckett and Smith broke a record set by Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher in 2009 during the T20 World Cup against Australia at the Oval for the fastest century stand (opening partnership) on English soil. They are the first pair to put a 100-run opening stand at RR of more than 13 in England. Only three pairs have put up a century stand for the first wicket in England in a T20I at a scoring rate above 10.

Fastest Opening Stands (100+ Runs) in England In T20s

Players	Runs	RR	Opponent	Year	Venue
Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith	120	13.58	West Indies	2025	Southampton
Chris Gayle, Andre Fletcher	133	11.56	Australia	2009	Oval
Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan	150	10.2	England	2021	Nottingam

Duckett and Smith are also the first English pair to put a 100-run stand for the first at a RR of above 13 anywhere in the world in a T20I. The previous quickest opening stand for England in a T20I was between Jos Buttler and Phil Salt against the United States of America in the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados.

Players	Runs	RR	Year	Venue	Opponent
Ben Duckett, James Smith	120	13.58	2025	Southampton	West Indies
Jos Buttler, Phil Salt	117	12.10	2024	Barbados	USA
Jos Buttler, Phil Salt	117	11.89	2023	Tarouba	West Indies

This is the second-quickest opening partnership (100+ runs) against West Indies behind Quinton de Kock and Reeza Hendricks, who posted 152 runs in 10.5 overs (RR - 14.03) at Centurion in 2023.

England put up a score of 135 runs after 10 overs, which is the most by them in history at the half-way mark of the innings. Their previous highest total at that point of an innings was 131 runs against New Zealand in 2019.

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