ICC Cricket World Cup: Chris Gayle breaks AB de Villiers' World Cup record en route to victory in the opening match against Pakistan

What's the story?

West Indian southpaw Chris Gayle inscribed his name in the history books once again when he smashed three sixes in his 33-ball half-century against Pakistan in their inaugural match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

The burly Jamaican surpassed another great of the game - the now-retired South African legend AB de Villiers - as he set a new world record for most sixes in the competition's history, with a return of 40 maximums in 37 innings.

De Villiers had a whopping 37 sixes to his name in just 23 matches.

In case you didn't know...

The quadrennial world championships currently underway at England and Wales will be the last chapter of Gayle's international's career, who announced his intention of hanging his boots once the event reaches its conclusion.

Only three players have hit 30 or more sixes at the biggest stage of international cricket, with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting rounding out the top three.

The heart of the matter...

Gayle, who is considered to be the top batsman in the T20 format of the game, showed that he is just as effective in the 50-over format when he scored 50 runs in just 34 balls in a one-sided fixture against Pakistan to propel the Windies to a thumping 7-wicket victory in their first match of the one-and-a-half month-long extravaganza.

His inning consisted of nine boundaries out of which three were sixes, which took him to the top of the list of players with most sixes in the World Cup, dethroning AB de Villiers from the No.1 spot.

Chris Gayle- Most sixes in World Cup (40)- Most sixes in World T20 (60)- Most sixes in IPL (326)- Most sixes in T20Is (105)- Most sixes in T20s (941)- Most sixes in International cricket (520)Universal Boss @henrygayle

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 31, 2019

The swashbuckling opener, who has broken numerous records in his illustrious career, has now become a World Cup legend as well.

What's next?

West Indies is the most successful team in T20 World Cup history, having won twice in its 12-year history. With Gayle & Co. looking in good shape, it remains to be seen whether the current squad can parlay their success to the longer one-day format. A win would mark their first World Cup triumph since 1979.