Canberra, Feb 24: For the first time in 40 years, World Cup cricket witnessed its first ever individual double hundred here today. And it was West Indies' explosive opener Chris Gayle who set the record.
The 35-year-old Gayle, one of the most destructive batsmen in the history of the game, smashed World Cup's first double century, against Zimbabwe at the Manuka Oval on Tuesday. (Controversy after Gayle's record)
Having started off slowly, the left-hander shifted gears to bring up his double ton in 138 balls. It was carnage from Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who brought his century. The duo registered highest ever partnership for any wicket in ODI history.
On way to this record, Gayle completed 9,000 ODI runs in 266th match. This was Gayle's 22nd ton in 50-over internationals.
On this day in 2010, the first ever double hundred in ODI history was scored by Sachin Tendulkar against South Africa in Gwalior.
Gayle was out on the last ball of the innings for a brilliant 215 off 147 balls (Strike rate 146.25). West Indies piled up 372/2 in 50 overs. Samuels was unbeaten on 133.
Here are the records broken/set today by Chris Gayle and West Indies at Manuka Oval
215 (147 balls, 10x4, 16x6) - Chris Gayle scores first ever double century in World Cup history
Fastest double ton in ODIs - 200 off 138 (Previous - Virender Sehwag - 200 in 140)
Gayle becomes the only batsman in history to score T20I ton, ODI double and Test triple
Highest individual score in World Cup history (Previous - 188* by Gary Kirsten Vs UAE in 1996)
Highest individual score in ODIs by a West Indian (Previous - 189* by Viv Richards Vs England in 1984)
3rd highest individual score in ODI history (After Rohit's 264 and Sehwag's 219)
First non-Indian to hit a double ton in ODIs
1st ODI double ton outside India (Previous 4 - Gwalior, Indore, Bengaluru, Kolkata)
4th batsman to score 200+ in ODI history (Other 3 - Rohit 2 times, Sachin 1, Sehwag 1)
1st left-handed batsman to score ODI double
Only the 5th double ton in ODIs
1st batsman in cricket history to score 175 or more in an innings in all formats - T20, First-class, List A (50 overs)
16 - Most sixes in an innings, equal with Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers
400 sixes - Only the second player to hit 400 or more international sixes. Highest - 447 by Shahid Afridi
372 runs in 49.4 overs for 2nd wicket - Highest ever partnership for any wicket in ODI history - Gayle and Samuels (Previous - 331 - Sachin and Rahul Dravid Vs New Zealand in 1999)
372/2 in 50 overs - Highest total for West Indies in ODIs (Previous 363/4 Vs Zimbabwe in 2014)
1st time in ODI history - Double hundred and a ton in same innings (Gayle 215, Samuels 133*)
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