Chris Gayle becomes the first double centurion holder in World Cup cricket

West Indies opener, Chris Gayle, set a new record in the World Cup cricket after becoming the first batsman to score a double century. Scoring 215 against Zimbabwe in a Pool B clash in Canberra, he surpassed Gary Kirsten’s previous World Cup record of 188 not out which the South African batsman scored against the United Arab Emirates at Rawalpindi in 1996.

The 35-year-old Gayle needed just 138 balls to reach the milestone. In his long innings, he hit 10 boundaries and 16 sixes. His tally of sixes leveled the number of sixes hit in an ODI innings by South Africa’s AB de Villiers and India’s Rohit Sharma. Having faced 147 balls, he was caught by Chigumbura off Masakadza in the last ball of the innings.

He along with Marlon Samuels, who remained not out on 133, scored 371 runs in the second wicket partnership. It was a new partnership record for any ODI wicket. The previous record was 331 shared by India’s Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar against New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan) in 1999. Thanks to their record partnership, West Indies could score 372 for two at Canberra's Manuka Oval.

Chris Gayle became the fourth batsman to score double century in ODI cricket after Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, and Rohit Sharma. His innings was the fifth double century in all ODI cricket.