Sri Lanka remain the value

If punters are beginning to feel like they have seen it all before, then they have. The World Twenty20 is shaping up in almost exactly the same fashion as the last global limited-overs tournament, the World Cup.

Australia, despite that blemish against Zimbabwe, are the team to beat and look set to meet Sri Lanka, the second most dangerous side in the final just as they did in the Caribbean.

Meanwhile we have South Africa who appear to be building themselves up to a spectacular choke, Bangladesh as the surprise package and sorry old England looking as though they are struggling to come to terms with the ideas and innovations despite inventing the format.

So where is the value as the tournament enters it's final week?

Certainly there is little to be gained from backing Australia, who at 7/4 pre-tournament drifted to 11/4 following their humiliation against the Zims but have now settled at a skinny 6/4.

So one of South Africa, who are as short as 3/1 generally, and Sri Lanka must be the bet and it is a surprise to see the layers not keener to get the Lankans on their side.

Mahela Jayawardene's men had lost only nine wickets in the tournament and had a run rate of 11 an over before their match against Pakistan on Monday.

At 9/2 with Sportingbet they look a much healthier prospect than the South Africans, who are setting themselves up nicely for implosion.

There is a real buzz about home side with their faithful and that has to be a bad thing because as soon as expectation has revealed its head in big tournaments, the players have lost theirs.

Indeed there have to be doubts about whether their batting is good enough after they posted a low score batting first against England. The willowmen dominate in this format – which, by the way, rules out New Zealand at big prices. Just ask the bowlers who have come up against Sri Lanka so far.

Verdict: Sri Lanka @ 9/2 (SportingBet)

(Editor's Note: Can Sri Lanka recover from their blip against Pakistan and go on to win the Cup. Follow the latest betting and in-running prices on SportingBet!)