Despite the immense strength of the Jamaican cricket team, manager Courtney Francis believes rival Trinidad and Tobago are favourites to lift the inaugural regional T20 championship which starts on Thursday in Barbados.

"Most definitely they are favourites to win this competition," Francis told the Observer on the eve of the team's departure at 2:00 pm today.

"But I see that working in our favour, as it would take the pressure off us and place most of the pressure on Trinidad," he added.

Over the next two weeks, eight teams, including Canada, will battle for the right to represent the region at the ICC Champions League in South Africa later this year.

Trinidad and Tobago surprised all and sundry in the first-ever ICC Champions League played in India last year by reaching the final, which ended in defeat.

And with the likes of captain Daren Ganga, Dwayne Bravo, Keiron Pollard, Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo still around, pundits have installed Trinidad and Tobago ahead of Jamaica to win the championship.