Watto likes big bats and he cannot lie

Shane Watson has revealed the sweet science behind the bruising art of hitting sixes out of the park in T20 cricket.

No player in Australia's 15-man World T20 squad has hit more sixes in international cricket than Watson, and for the shortest format of the game, the hulking allrounder beefs up his bats in order to clear the fence.

"My bats are a little bit heavier, definitely in T20 cricket," Watson says.

"But I am very lucky that even the bats that I get that are a little bit lighter, are still incredibly good that Gunn and Moore give me.

"But they are a little bit heavier so when you swing hard, which you have to in Twenty20 cricket, even if I’m unfortunate enough that I don’t totally get it there’s still a chance of it still going over the fence, especially in smaller grounds.

"You need a little bit more behind your swing to be able to hopefully clear the fence."

While Watson's bats only slightly increase in weight from 2lb 9oz (1.16kg) to 2lb 10oz (1.19kg), it's where that extra mass goes that make all the difference.

On the slow, low wickets on the subcontinent, the thick part of the bat - commonly known as the 'middle - is closer to the toe end of the blade.

In Australia, on faster and bouncier pitches, the weight is more evenly distributed throughout.

By comparison, India legend Sachin Tendulkar used a bat weighing 3lb 4oz (1.47kg) to great effect, plundering more Test and one-day international runs and centuries than anyone who has played the game.

And Watson isn't the only one in Australia's touring party to alter his bat for T20 cricket.

But the veteran says not everybody in the group can, even if they wanted to.

"Well, Dave Warner can’t because his bats can’t get any bigger," Warner said with a smile.

"I know some guys, Steve Smith and Jimmy Faulkner and a lot of the different guys play with the weight a little bit especially coming in to Twenty20 cricket when you’ve got a good block of Twenty20 cricket.

"But everyone is a little bit different. I definitely, especially coming to Indian conditions as well where the wickets at times can be a bit slower and a bit lower, have a slightly heavier bat and the wood a little bit lower as well comparatively to what it would be in Australia or in South Africa.

"Those sort of conditions – more it’s making sure I give myself the best chance (to clear the rope)."