Canberra: 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 out off the last ball of the innings, having faced 147 balls, with 10 fours and 16 sixes with his team on 372-2.

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.

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 133 not out himself, also set a new partnership record for any ODI wicket.

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 (Deccan) in 1999.

Gayle, who was struggling with the batting form, made a stunning comeback like only he could. While it put his team in a dominating position, it gave the West Indian fans a sense of great joy.

Chris Gayle returned to form with a trademark century off just 105 balls to give the West Indies a solid platform in their World Cup clash against Zimbabwe in Canberra on Tuesday.

Left-handed opener Gayle looked back to his menacing best with five powerful sixes in his first one-day international century since June 2013.

The powerful hitter treated the Zimbabwean bowlers with disdain as he recaptured his best form after scoring just 36 and four in his first two knocks at the World Cup.

It was the 35-year-old Gayle’s 22nd ton in his 266th ODI for the West Indies.

But the big Jamaican, whose innings saw him score his 9,000th ODI run, looked fortunate to survive a contentious referral for lbw when he was still on nought.

Gayle and Marlon Samuels took the West Indies into a commanding position after they lost opener Dwayne Smith for a two-ball duck.

Samuels was rather more sedate than Gayle, with his fifty coming off 95 balls.

Chris Gayle was caught after he scored a hundred but he was lucky as once it was a no-ball and then it was a free-hit delivery.