With the cricket World Cup round the corner, a bat as tall as a 10-storey building, unveiled in Dubai to promote and celebrate the quadrennial event, is bidding for the Guinness world record for the 'Largest Cricket Bat'.
The 32-metre long and four-metre wide bat, created by a leading pay television network, was displayed on Monday at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
As large as an eight to 10-storey building, the bat weighs a mammoth 950 kg and is nearly 32 times longer than a standard cricket bat.
Placed horizontally, the bat's length is equivalent to the distance of seven cars parked bumper to bumper.
"We wanted to do an activity where we could engage UAE cricket fans and give them an opportunity to come here and say something to the UAE team. So that is what this activity is about. The objective of this is to demonstrate our passion for cricket," said Hamad Malik, Chief Marketing Officer of OSN TV network that made the bat.
"We are celebrating the start of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 with the Guinness world record attempt," the network said.
Malik along with Andy Warkman, VP Sports and Production at OSN; David East, CEO of Emirates Cricket Board, and the UAE National Cricket team's coach, Aqib Javed, along with star players launched the gigantic cricket bat.
It will be on display at the ICC Academy in Dubai until the end of March.
The World Cup, which begins on February 14, will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
