T20 revolution gives WC bigger bang

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NEW DELHI, Mar 3 (AFP): Twenty20's big-hitting revolution has added a new dimension to 50-over cricket with players showing more daring than before at this World Cup. With the skills acquired in the shorter, slam-bang version of the game, batsmen are going for the big shots early in their innings and are brimming with a new-found belief that any target is achievable. The results are there for everyone to see -- England, the reigning Twenty20 world champions, looked unflustered as they got down to the task of chasing India's 338, an imposing total by any standards, to clinch a tie. "Twenty20 has changed the way players approach the game," says talismanic South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis. "In ODIs now, batsmen take more risks and have developed new strokes. Teams don't panic when the asking rate goes up while bowlers also have developed new skills. T20 has been a revelation." As batsmen score at quicker pace, team totals have also gone up. So far at the World Cup, the 300-run barrier has been breached eight times with India and England both making 338 in Sunday's nail-biting tie in Bangalore Sunday.