World Cup 2015: Incredible Gayle smashes first double century in World Cup history

West Indies opener Chris Gayle became the first batsman to score a World Cup double century when he made 215 against Zimbabwe in a Pool B clash in Canberra on Tuesday. Gayle, who might have been given out lbw before he had scored, brought up his first double century in 226 one-day internationals off just 138 balls including nine fours and 16 sixes. The 35-year-old Jamaica left-hander’s innings of 215 surpassed the previous World Cup best of 188 not out by South Africa’s Gary Kirsten against the United Arab Emirates at Rawalpindi in 1996. Gayle was eventually off off the last ball of the innings, having faced 147 balls, with 10 fours and 16 sixes with his team on 372-2. [caption id=“attachment_1443759” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of the West Indies players celebrating. REUTERS[/caption] His tally of sixes equalled the record for the most in an ODI innings held jointly by South Africa’s AB de Villiers and India’s Rohit Sharma. Gayle’s innings was also only the fifth double century in all one-day international cricket and the first by a non-Indian, with Sharma (two), Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag the only other batsmen to achieve the feat. Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who scored 133 not out himself, also set a new partnership record for any ODI wicket. Their unbroken stand of 371 surpassed the 331 shared by India’s Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar against New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan) in 1999 and took the West Indies to a huge total of 372 for two at Canberra’s Manuka Oval. AFP