West Indies opener Chris Gayle became the first batsman to score a double century (215, 147 balls) in a World Cup innings when he reached the landmark against Zimbabwe in a Pool B clash in Canberra. 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 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. It was also only the fifth double century in all ODI cricket and the first by a non-Indian, with Rohit Sharma (two), Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag the only other batsmen to achieve the feat. Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who scored a century himself, also set a new partnership record for any ODI wicket, surpassing the 331 shared by India's Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1999.
