Cricket World Cup Betting - Canada v Sri Lanka

The last time that cricket's World Cup was played on the Indian sub-continent, Sri Lanka were the surprise winners. They open this year's campaign against a surprising Canada team.

Canada

The Canadians had to win a playoff against Afghanistan to reach this tournament, and many were disappointed that they did. Perennial attendees, they have never had a competitive side, hold the record for the lowest score made in the competition and have only ever had one player even approaching first class standard. All of this is set to change, though. In their warm-up game against England they were looking like the same old Canada until big-hitting Rizwan Cheema took charge, blasting 93 to bring them within an ace of victory. And if you think he can't do that again, remember that his one day international strike rate is higher than that of Pakistan's big gun (and this week's captain) Shahid Afridi.

Sri Lanka

The co-hosts have a major selection problem – just who do they leave out for this game. Sri Lanka's top six seem to be settled, having all-rounder Angelo Mathews come in at seven gives them a big hitting option lower down the order and the fact that the next four men in should all be batting at eleven scarcely seems to bother them. In fact, the bowlers they leave out would walk into the first eleven of most of the sides in this tournament, including India's. The World Cup is the final hurrah for the legendary Muttiah Muralitharan and he will see this game as a chance to add another five wickets to his already unbeatable international haul.

Prediction

The big problem for Canada's chances are that that record low score of 36 came against these opponents. Two of the side – John Davison and Ashish Bagai (who actually led something of a revival after they lost six wickets for twelve) – played in that game. The Canadian psyche is such that they will want to avenge that humiliation and this is the first chance that they have had to do so. Although they will be good enough to give a number of other sides in their group – including New Zealand and Kenya, who play earlier – a run for their money, the Sri Lankans would be too strong for most Test nations, let alone one of the minnows.

Odds

There isn't much point betting on Sri Lanka – you will do well to find odds of less than 1/50 – but it is worth looking at bets on Canadian individuals. Bet365.com will give you 13/2 on Cheema being the top scoring batsman for Canada and 4/1 on him being the top bowler, either (or both) of which look good value indeed.