WC 2015: Chris Gayle hits first 200 of WC

Canberra, Feb 24: Explosive West Indian opening batsman Chris Gayle became the first batsman in the history of World Cup cricket to score a double hundred. Chris Gayle scored 215 off 147 balls (10 fours, 16 sixes) against Zimbabwe at Manuka Oval in Canberra before getting caught in the final delivery of the innings. He also put up 372-run partnership for the second wicket, the highest for any wicket in one-day cricket. West Indies ended at 372/2 in 50 overs against a hapless Zimbabwean attack.

World Cup Special; ; World Cup: List of records broken by Chris Gayle

Chris Gayle broke Vivian Richards's 181, which had been the highest score by a West Indian in World Cup cricket so far. Richards had scored the runs against Sri Lanka at Karachi in the 1987 World Cup.

Gayle also eclipsed former South African opener Gary Kirsten's score of 188 not out posted against the United Arab Emirates at Rawalpindi in 1996. It was the highest in World Cup cricket before Gayle's double century.

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