For bookies, India are firm favourites

ISLAMABAD: The bookmakers have billed India as overwhelming favourites, rating them eighty percent likely winners against Pakistan in crunch and crucial match set of the World Cup Cricket to be played at Old Trafford Manchester on Sunday.

Early news emerging from the bookies den in India and Dubai reveal that India is rated as firm favourite to win against Pakistan and to stay unbeaten in the tournament.Pakistan that desperately need a win to stay in the business are considered as outsiders for the match. “India is rated as 5-1 favourite to win against Pakistan meaning if anyone puts one rupee on Pakistan, he would get Rs 3 in case of greenshirts win, almost two hundred percent more the original amount. On other hand, India’s victory would fetch only 40 paisa more on a rupee, meaning bookies feel that India win is almost certain and they cannot afford more than this on the India’s possible win,” one of the sources associated with betting and gambling mafia told The News from UAE.

He said that India win against Australia has made them frontrunners in the competition while Pakistan loss against same opposition made them relatively weaker opposition going into Sunday’s match.

“India would go into the match against Pakistan with clean sheet. They won two while their third match against New Zealand was washed out. On other hand Pakistan lost two of the four matches, winning one and got one point from washout against Sri Lanka. Greenshirts only win came against hosts England,” he said.

The source ruled out any big change in the rates in run up to the match. “I don’t think there will be any big change in the rates. India would stay favourite for match,” he said. When it comes to Pakistan-India match and that too during World Cup, bookmakers become busier in receiving bets. Though it is illegal to place bets in Pakistan, the mafia operates using underground connections. “Chances are there that bookie mafia throughout the world would deal with unprecedented bets for the match. There are two days left for the match so I cannot say at this point of time as what would be the final estimate,”” the source said.

Although India was also overwhelming favourite for the Champions Trophy final held two years back at the Oval (England), Pakistan raised the level of their game to new heights to win the Trophy beating India by a decisive margin of 180 runs.