Under intense pressure after failing to score a one-day international century since June 2013, Gayle had a reprieve when he survived an lbw appeal decision on the first ball he faced from Tinashe Panyangara .

The 35-year-old Jamaican recovered quickly, surpassing Gary Kirsten's 188 against United Arab Emirates in 1996 as the highest score in the World Cup before he was caught on the last ball of the innings. He and Samuels (133 not out) lifted West Indies from 0-1 to 372-2. Gayle took two wickets as Zimbabwe was bowled out for 289 chasing a revised target of 263 under the Duckworth-Lewis method.