Well begun is half done! This adage applies fittingly to Twenty20 cricket; for both the departments of the game, especially batting. An impressive opening pair can do wonders in Twenty20 cricket. IPL is no exception.

Some of the most enviable opening combinations have featured in the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League. Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore. David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan for Sunrisers Hyderabad. But, when you overshadow such marauders, you have got to be special. Meet our very own, Lendl Simmons and Parthiv Patel.

Ever since the Mumbai Indians duo started opening the batting in this year’s edition, the team has been able to stage its resurgence after a slow start. And one of the key architects of the Mumbai Indians storming into their third IPL final so far, has been the consistency of Simmons and Parthiv, at the top.

It took Mumbai Indians a while to zero in on this combination that has worked wonders for them. In the first three matches, Mumbai Indians tried out two combinations. While Rohit Sharma and Aaron Finch walked out together at the start of the season, Finch was accompanied by Parthiv at the top of the order in the following game, against Rajasthan Royals.

Once Finch was ruled out of the season after hurting himself during the Royal’s game, in came Simmons, and joined Parthiv at the top. Since then, the duo has emerged as the most successful opening combination of IPL-8. In 12 matches they have opened so far, they have accumulated 618 runs for the opening wicket at a phenomenal average of 51.50.

Their 12 opening associations have seen four, fifty-plus combinations, including two century stands. Once the team gets off to such a rollicking start, it makes the job easier for the big hitters, who follow. The same has happened with Mumbai Indians, as Simmons and Parthiv have allowed the likes of Rohit and Kieron Pollard to express themselves freely later.

So consistent have Simmons and Parthiv been that they have strung together valuable stands, when it has mattered the most. In the Mumbai Indian’s winner-takes-all last league game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, the bowling unit had done their bit by knocking down the Sunrisers for a meagre total. Considering the pressure cooker situation, Mumbai Indians couldn’t have afforded to lose early wickets.

Simmons and Parthiv not only did that but, continued to make a mockery of a hapless Sunriser’s bowling unit, to put on their second century partnership of the season. Though the partnership was broken when the team was on the brink of victory; when it came to the Qualifier against the Chennai Super Kings, the left-hand-right-hand combination continued from where they had left in Hyderabad.

Simmons and Parthiv yet again justified their captain’s decision to send them to bat first, and put on an amazing 90-run stand in a little over 10 overs. That set up the platform for KP to go on a rampage against his favourite attack, and set up Mumbai Indian’s a memorable win.

Come Sunday and all of the Paltan would be hoping for Parthiv and Simmons to get the job half done. That would be the perfect note to sign off for the season, for both of them!