LONDON, Sept 8: The encounter between arch rivals India and Pakistan might have sold out months before but neither team is bookmakers' favourite to reach the final of ICC Champions cricket trophy beginning from Friday in England.

The bookmakers, who have placed World Champions Australia at a tempting 31-20 to lift the trophy, expect which ever team progressing to semifinal to lose gainst South Africa.

Both India and Pakistan, who are in Group C and face off at Edgbaston on Sept 19 in what is expected to be an electrifying final league clash, are 8-1 at which placed South Africa as second favourites at 15-2.

England, who reversed their poor one-day form to defeat India 2-1 in recent NatWest Challenge, have been backed at 17-2 while 2002 champions New Zealand were 9-1.

The format of the tournament came in for special praise from bookmakers which said four-group-cum-knockout format meant "everything is far easier to follow than at World Cup (in South Africa last year) where sides have often been left in curiously confusing predicaments regarding their potential advancement through the tournament." -PPI