COLOMBO  - There is no clear favourites for the World Twenty20 Cup being commenced from September 18 in Sri Lanka.
The 12-team tournament runs from September 18 to October 7 with the teams divided into four groups of three initially with the top two from each group to then go into the Super Eights phase.  There the eight teams will be divided into two groups of four and play a further three matches with the top two teams in each group then advancing to the semi-finals.
England without services of Kevin Pietersen will face difficulties in defending its title who defeated Australia in the final of World Twenty20 in 2010 to become the new champions. England will rely on newly-look team as they included seven new faces in their World Twenty20 with the hope that these boys will deliver for England.
Sri Lankan have slight edge due to its home advantage and having some good players in its fold. Dilshan, Jayawardene, Sangakkara, Lasith Malinga, Mendis can change the mode of the game in their favour on their day and pull up surprise for their country. Australians banking on experience and youth and can surprise any team on their day. They are passing through re-building process after retirement of their few players and gaining momentum to provide tough resistance to their opponents.
Pakistan will bank on Saeed Ajmal and all-rounder Shahid Afridi and if these two players proved their credentials and played according to their potential then there are bright chances that Pakistan can surprise every nation to lift the 2012 trophy. Nasir Jamshed and Imran Nazir if played according to their abilities can also help Pakistan win the trophy. Indians will rely on batsmen Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir and bowler Irfan Pathan, spinner Ashwin if they deliver for them then they can also win the title.
South African will depend on in-form Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers and JP Duminy as they can create upsets for Proteas while Dale Steyn can destroy any team's batting line-up on his day and can win match single-handedly for his team.
West Indies having services of Chris Gayle, Keiron Pollard, D Smith, D Bravo and these players have the ability to destroy best bowling attack of any team through their blistering batting skills and take match away out of the reach of the rivals. They will depend on spinner Narine and if he delivers for his team then they can also snatch the World T20 trophy. Brendon McCullum, Guptil, Ross Taylor and Daniel Vettori have the ability to take their team to top if they played according to their potentials.
Zimbabwe, Ireland, Bangladesh and Afghanistan are the weak teams but can also create upsets during the mega event.
Every team claims that it will win the title but time will tells who will wear the crown of World Twenty20 Cup as the Allah Almighty knows to whom He will bestow the new World T20 crown.
India won the inaugural tournament in 2007 in South Africa when they beat Pakistan by five runs in the final while since then Pakistan won the 2009 tournament in England by beating Sri Lanka in the final while last time around in 2010 England lifted their first ever ICC trophy by beating Australia by seven wickets in the West Indies.
Agencies adds: The punters But this time around England are being given little chance by the punters and are currently on the seventh line of betting at Betfair to win the tournament at $9.80 but they have firmed in from $13 after beating South Africa in the final match of their recent Twenty20 series to level that series at 1-1. India however are the easing favourites at $5.90 - out from $5.20 - ahead of host nation Sri Lanka at $6.40 and South Africa at $7.20. Australia, despite slipping to an embarrassing ninth on the ICC's official Twenty20 rankings following their recent 2-1 series loss to Pakistan, are fourth favourites at $7.60 ahead of the Windies at $7.80 and Pakistan at $8.20.
And then after England comes New Zealand at $21 with the four minnows - who are considered likely to be eliminated in the initial group phase - making up the numbers with Bangladesh at $65, Zimbabwe at $330, Ireland at $360 and Afghanistan at $700.
However when it comes to the individual markets there is no doubt who the punters believe will be the star of the tournament. While there is no clear stand-out in early markets to be the leading wicket-taker of the series, West Indies powerhouse Gayle is dominating betting in the tournament's leading run-scorer market.
Gayle is the clear $7.60 favourite at Betfair to score the most runs for the tournament ahead of South Africa's Hashim Amla at $8.60 with those two the only batsmen under double figure odds with India's Virat Kohli third pick at $14.50. Australia's leading contenders in the top run-scorer market are Shane Watson and Dave Warner at $23. Hosts Sri Lanka will open the tournament on Tuesday against Zimbabwe while Australia's first game in Group B - where George Bailey's team will be up against Ireland and the West Indies - is against Ireland on Wednesday.