Cricket is often defined by partnerships — and on 8 October 2025, two Australians made history with a record‑setting 9th wicket stand in a Women’s One Day International (ODI). Beth Mooney and Alana King stitched together 106 runs against Pakistan in Colombo, establishing the highest 9th wicket partnership ever recorded in Women’s ODIs.
In this article, we explore everything about this milestone — the match context, the batters, the significance, and how it compares to past records.
Match Context & Partnership Details
- Match: AUS Women vs PAK Women, 9th ODI, Women’s World Cup 2025
- Venue: Colombo (RPS)
- Date: 8 October 2025
- Team’s Total: Australia posted 221 for 9 in 50 overs
- Key Partnership: Mooney + King built 106 runs for the 9th wicket
- How it unfolded:
• After the 8th wicket fell, Australia was in a precarious position.
• Mooney and King steadied the innings, rotated strike, and capitalized on loose deliveries.
• Their knock added critical runs in the final overs, pushing the team to a competitive total.
This stand did more than rescue the innings — it etched their names into the record books.
Women’s ODI Highest 9th Wicket Partnerships (Top Records)
| Rank | Partnership Runs | Batting Pair | Team | Opposition | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 106 | Beth Mooney & Alana King | Australia | Pakistan | Colombo (RPS) | 8 Oct 2025 |
| 2 | 77 | A. Gardner & K. Garth | Australia | South Africa | North Sydney | 7 Feb 2024 |
| 3 | 73 | LRF Askew & IT Guha | England | New Zealand | Chennai | 3 Mar 2007 |
| 4 | 70 | RP Yadav & SZ Thakor | India | New Zealand | Ahmedabad | 27 Oct 2024 |
| 5 | 69 | ZIM pair (–) | Zimbabwe | Ireland | Harare | 7 Oct 2021 |
Note: “–” in batter name indicates missing first name in record.
From the table, you can see how far ahead Mooney & King’s 106-run stand is — a new benchmark.
The Pair: Mooney & King
Beth Mooney
- Already a prolific batter across formats.
- Known for composure and pacing long innings.
- In this match, contributed 109 runs overall (her own century), anchoring the team’s innings.
Alana King
- A capable lower-order batter with skills to counterattack.
- In this match, she chipped in with 51 runs off 49 balls, combining aggression and grit to complement Mooney.
- Their synergy was vital — one held the innings steady, the other rotated and attacked.
Together, they displayed a fine balance of patience and aggression — classic traits of a successful tail-to-hand partnership.
Why This Partnership Matters
- Record Breaker: It’s now the highest 9th wicket partnership in Women’s ODI history.
- Match Impact: Turned a fragile position into a defendable total — their stand added crucial runs late.
- Team Morale: Such below-the-line resilience boosts team confidence and puts pressure back on the opposition.
- Inspiration: Empowers lower-order batters to believe in match-defining contributions.
Read more: Fastest Female Bowlers in the World: Top Speeds & Records
Comparison With Earlier Records
- Before this, the second-best was 77 runs (Gardner & Garth, Australia vs South Africa, Feb 2024).
- Most previous high 9th wicket stands involved more conventional lower-order batting.
- Mooney & King not only set a new record, but did so while one of them (Mooney) scored a century in the same innings — adding to the feat’s prestige.
Cricket is never just about the stars at the top — it’s what the middle and lower order do under pressure that often defines results. The 106-run stand between Beth Mooney and Alana King will be remembered as one of those defining moments in Women’s ODI history. It showcases grit, skill, and partnership under duress — a benchmark for future generations.
