DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

(CMC):

THE WEST Indies will have to play out of their skins if they are to make it out of the first round of this September's ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to take place in Pakistan.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Wednesday that the 2004 champions have been drawn with reigning champions and world number one Australia, Asia's top team India and hosts Pakistan in Group A of the competition.

Eight top teams

Group B comprises South Africa, the winners of the inaugural event a decade ago, as well as 2000 champions New Zealand, Asian power Sri Lanka and England. The groups were finalised on the basis of teams' rankings in the ICC one-day international championship table on March 12 which was the cut-off date for the determination of the seedings for the ICC Champions Trophy 2008.

The ICC Development International Board decided in September 2005 that this year's competition would feature the eight top teams, according to the ICC ODI Championship table exactly six months prior to the scheduled start of the tournament.

The West Indies won the Champions Trophy four years ago in a thrilling finish to the final against hosts England at The Oval in London, when they successfully chased 219 to win with seven balls remaining.

For the 2008 Champions Trophy, the eight teams will be split into two groups of four with a round-robin format in operation. The top two sides from each group will progress to the semi-finals with the winners of the matches contesting the final.

The full tournament schedule and information regarding venues will be announced in due course.