As we know the ICC World Cup 2015 is going on in full swing. Matches have been played and the records list is continuously getting full from the performances of players or teams. Today was another such day!
Getting beaten by Ireland in the first match was the first upset for the West Indies. But they didn’t lose their hopes and showed their performance in the match with Zimbabwe.
Well I think it’s safe to say that this turned out to be one of the most remarkable games in the World Cup. From start to finish, there was great cricket on display, mainly from a certain Chris Gayle. West Indies opener Chris Gayle became the first batsman to score a double century in a World Cup innings when he reached the landmark against Zimbabwe in a Pool B clash in Canberra on Tuesday.
Chris Gayle could have been out first ball. Tinashe Panyangara, who had already bowled Dwayne Smith for a duck, curled one into Gayle and screamed in appeal for lbw. But that wasn’t in favour of Zimbabwe.
He brought up his first double century in his 226th one-day international of just 138 balls including 10 fours and 16 sixes. His record breaking knock has sent out a warning to the rest of the teams.
His innings distilled his biggest strengths: his patience – he faced 59 dot balls, or just over 40% of the total balls he faced; only Rohit Sharma’s 209 in Bengaluru contained a bigger percentage of dots among the five ODI double tons – and his ability to maximise a fairly small range of shots. Not even the cover drives and the square cuts. His first six came in the 11th over, over long-on off Williams, a warning that he could repeat the stroke whenever he saw one in his hitting zone.
Until he drilled Chatara to the extra-cover boundary to go from 196 to 200, he had hit only one four and one six through the off side. Everything else was launched down the ground or clubbed or pulled over the leg side.
He finished on 215 from 147 balls. He hit 10 fours and sent 16 sixes flying over the straight boundary or this one time into a group of fans dressed as a coven of witches beyond the midwicket boundary.
After Gayle reached his double-hundred in the 46th over, it was Samuels’ turn to align some of the spotlight on himself. He managed his position and accompanied gayle in the completion of a massive target and after that he finally made his highest ODI score and played second fiddle in a partnership of 372, the highest for any wicket in ODIs.
This was the fifth double-century in ODIs, and it came exactly five years after Sachin Tendulkar first reached the landmark. This milestone is extremely special but since it was Gayle, it answered the question of when rather than if.
Chris Gayle is known as a big hitter and is a game changer. He is one of the four players to score a double century in ODIs. He is also the first non-Indian cricketer to achieve this remarkable feat.
We all know West Indies is not a weak team and they have proved that in this match. This victory of the team has given an warning to their opponents. Weather update: Gaylestorm is here!
By Nikhil Gautam
