IPL is just around the corner and cricket enthusiasts can’t keep calm. We are sure to witness every cricket fan enjoying the matches, making their fantasy cricket team in every match, and winning cash prizes by playing fantasy cricket.
The popularity of fantasy cricket has grown exponentially in recent years as the game offers a win-win solution for gaming and cricket enthusiasts. Anyone with basic knowledge of the sport can enter the game and play with multiple teams in different matches. However, fantasy cricket is a game of skill, therefore, flukes and guesswork won’t take you far in the game. Winning the contests requires strong strategy and skills to score points. And, the main element that can make or break your game is the strength of your team.
Your chances of winning a contest depend on how the players of your fantasy cricket team perform in the live match. Therefore, it’s essential to put a lot of thought into each player while making your team. But, we have got you covered with the unconventional guide to making a fantasy team that will increase your chances of winning the game. These fantasy cricket tips will help you significantly in your game. If you are just getting started with fantasy games, you can also read the beginner’s guide to fantasy cricket.
An unconventional guide to making a fantasy cricket team
Step 1: Analyze each player’s performance
Before you start creating your team and selecting players from an upcoming match, the first step is to analyze the performance of each player. Your selection of players should be based on their current form rather than their overall reputation. For instance, a player that had a good reputation a few years back but hasn’t been performing well in recent times is not worth including in your fantasy team.
Step 2: Turn your research game on
Do your research before every match. Apart from research on the players, you should also know the pitch and weather conditions. Your player selection strategy should be based on the type of pitch for that particular match. For instance, a flat pitch is favorable for batsmen, and therefore, you should include more batsmen in your team. You can also analyze the last match played on that pitch to make calculated selections.
Step 3: Select your captain and vice-captain
The most important players in your fantasy team are the captain and vice-captain as they bring in more points than the other players. The captain earns 2x points and the vice-captain earns 1.5x points. Select all-rounder players as the captain and vice-captain as a safer alternative as they can save the game with their batting and bowling skills.
Step 4: Select top-order batsmen
While selecting batsmen, it’s advisable to select the top order batsmen even if a good batsmen is lined up at the 5th or 6th position. This is because the batsmen who aren’t playing in the top 4 may not get enough balls to play and score points. Therefore, there’s no point in selecting the batsmen players that aren’t paying in the top order.
Step 5: Pick your bowlers
The next step is to select the bowlers for your team. You may consider selecting bowlers with a good economy rate, however, they may not make for a winning team. To make a strong team, select wicket-taking bowlers even if they may be weak in making runs.
Step 6: Select at least one uncapped player
Uncapped players are those players that haven’t yet played any international match for their country. An uncapped player is like the black horse of your team that you can use as a wild card. You can select a bowler that bowls in the middle overs or a wicket-keeper batsman to fill this position.
Step 7: Lookout for expert predictions
Lastly, even though you are confident about your team, always keep a watch on predictions by the experts. There may be last-minute changes before the match and you should be prepared to make the necessary adjustments to your team based on such changes. You should also stay updated with the cricket tips, news, and other important information before the match.
Fantasy Cricket Tips to consider while selecting players
Don’t pick only favorites
One of the first fantasy cricket tips is to avoid favoritism. Pick your favorites only if they have been performing well and are in a good form. It’s not wise to select your favorite player if the player is going through a rough patch and is only giving satisfactory performances.
Make value investment
You may find some players to be overrated but their performance hasn’t been up to the mark. While selecting players for your team, you should make a valuable investment as per the caliber of each player. The players you select should be able to provide value for the amount invested in them.
Ensure every player you select is playing
Many fantasy cricket players tend to ignore this aspect while making their virtual teams. Always wait for the announcement of final lineups to ensure you pick players that will be playing. In case you are unsure about certain players, you can always make adjustments right after the final lineups are announced.
Make changes as per the toss
One of the most important fantasy cricket tips that many players often overlook is the toss. You may have selected your fantasy cricket team players before your toss, however, it is important to check the toss results and make necessary adjustments. The toss gives more clarity on which players are playing and which team will play first. Therefore, this is the time when you can remove the players who aren’t playing from your team. You can also decide who will be your bowlers and opening players based on the toss results.
This unconventional guide should be sufficient for you to build a strong fantasy cricket team and win different matches. Your strategies will improve with every game you play while enjoying the cricket matches. So, just make your team on the MPL fantasy cricket app with the help of this guide and sit back to enjoy your live cricket match.
