Bhubaneswar, Feb 12 (IANS) As the countdown for the 2011 World Cup begins, acclaimed sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik has created a 125-ft-long cricket bat of sand in Orissa in an attempt to set a new world record.

Pattnaik has created the sand sculpture on the beach in his hometown of Puri, 56 km from here, with the help of 15 students of the Golden Sand Art Institute run by him.

"We have also created a ball and a stadium by using a total of 50 tonnes of sand," Pattnaik told IANS, adding that hundreds of tourists and cricket fans visited the site Saturday and signed on the sand to convey their best wishes to team India for the World Cup starting Feb 19.

The artist said he created the sculpture Friday evening after informing officials of the Limca Book of Records.

"The bat I created on sand is the longest one on earth. It is likely to be listed as a world record in the Limca Book of Records," said Pattnaik, who has won several global competitions.

Pattnaik has earlier figured in the 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 editions of the Limca Book of Records.