Champions Trophy: Bookies' name the favourites in Pak-India clash

LONDON: The ICC Champions Trophy 2017 has kicked off last Thursday and so did the business of bookies.

The much-hyped tournament is featuring the world’s best eight cricket teams battle for supremacy. Bookies are betting England to win the title.

England lost a rain-hit final against the Indian cricket team in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy in what had turned to be a thrilling encounter. Dhoni deserved full credits for his excellent captaincy in the match.

According to the bookmakers, England are favourites followed by Australia and South Africa. India are the fourth favourite team to clinch the trophy.

But all eyes will be on the Champions Trophy group B blockbuster in Birmingham on June 4 (Sunday). India clash with Pakistan and bookies are tipping Virat Kohli’s men to beat their arch-rivals. Bookies have placed the odds of 50 paisa on India with Rs 1.44 on Pakistan, means margin of profit on India is less as they are, according to bookies, are likely to win, unlike Pakistan whose chances are minimal against the formidable Indian side.

Betting on Pakistan, India players

The odds [of the game]

Overall, bookies are offering odds of Rs 4 on England (for a rupee’s bet), Rs 4.4 for Australia, Rs 4.7 for South Africa and Rs 5.9 for India to win the tournament.

While Bangladesh stands the least favourite to win with Sri Lanka, Pakistan and New Zealand above them, respectively, said a report carried by the Hindustan Times.

India vs Pakistan Tips, Odds and Betting – ICC Champions Trophy 2017 https://t.co/wZvAK3B10A pic.twitter.com/IgeQDJVYDN

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Lower the odds, higher are the perceived chances of a team winning.

So if a person bets Rs 100 on England and they go on to win the tournament, the person wins Rs 400 since the team they bet on, are the favourites, while a bet of Rs 100 on Bangladesh would fetch returns of Rs 6,500 as they are the least favourites.

The main factors

These odds fluctuate constantly in the run-up to any match and are finalised the day before the encounter. The weather, pitch condition and injuries to players are among the factors that influence these odds.

The rates offered by the bookies indicate that they are expecting England and Australia from Group A to qualify for the semi-finals with India and South Africa from Group B.

England and Australia are favourites to reach the final of the ICC Champions Trophy on June 18.

Who will score most runs in the tournament?

As per bookies, Australian opener David Warner is considered the top run scorer of the whole tournament (a Rs 1 bet would earn you Rs 10) followed by the Indian captain Virat Kohli (Rs 11) and Australian captain Steven Smith (Rs 12).

England’s Joe Root (Rs 11.5) and South Africa’s AB De Villiers (Rs 14.5) stand fourth and fifth among the perceived top run getters.

Australians dominate the bowlers’ category. Michael Starc is favourite to take most wickets (Rs 9.8) followed by England’s Adil Rashid and South Africa’s Imran Tahir. Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah is in the fifth position (Rs 15).