The sixth ICC World T20 competition starts in India on 8th March 2016, with the final taking place on the 3rd April. 16 teams will battle it out for glory in what is sure to be a thrilling tournament, packed with boundaries, close finishes and some captivating batting. There will be 35 matches and we’ll have live odds comparison for them all but read on for our lowdown on the outright tournament winner betting as we give our betting tips and predictions for who will blast their way to glory.

Twenty20 cricket is notoriously difficult to predict given that just one or two inspired performances can lead a side to victory and just five or six balls can have a huge impact on a game. India, as hosts, are favourites with the bookmakers and the best odds on them can be found at Sky Bet, who offer 10/3.

However, it is interesting, especially at a time when Tests are being dominated by the home side, that the hosts have rarely prospered in major ICC tournaments. Indeed, in five previous Twenty20 World Cup’s the hosts are yet to win, making the final just once. Moreover, when we look at the 50 over World Cup, we see that sole hosts have never lifted the cup. Co-hosts have triumphed in three of 11 tournaments but that record has only been improved by the successes in 2015 and 2011 of Australia and India.

Often in sports betting and tipping correlation is mistaken for causation but it is easy to suggest one reason why this might not be the case when it comes to short-form cricket: pressure. In a five day Test familiarity with conditions, favourable pitches prepared to order and home support make it very difficult for away sides. However, in the intense pressure of a one-day game and the even more testing stress of a T20 clash, it makes solid sense to argue that home “advantage” might actually be a burden.

There is quite probably no more expectant crowd than an Indian one and despite the success of the side in the 2011 Cricket World Cup (50 overs) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, we will oppose the outright favourites here.

Next in the outright winner market come Australia at 11/2 with Sky Bet and the Aussies will very obviously take some stopping. We predict they will go very close, such is the momentum they seem to be building and there is no doubting the immense firepower in their batting line-up, with David Warner treating Tests almost like one dayers! The Aussies are the top ranked ODI side and third in the Twenty20 rankings and we certainly can’t argue too strongly against a bet on them to be crowned outright winners.

However, our main betting tip for the 2016 Twenty20 World Cup is England, at odds of 8/1 with Unibet. England are behind South Africa in the betting and (with many firms) the West Indies too, but they are slowly but surely evolving into a dangerous one-day side. They are up to sixth in the ODI standings and fourth in the Twenty20 rankings but the signs from within the camp are really encouraging. Players such as Joe Root, Alex Hales, Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler are as good as anyone on their day and if the bowling attack can do their part England look sensational value at long odds in the outright winner betting.

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