As the name suggests, fantasy cricket belongs to the increasingly popular genre of gaming known as fantasy sports. The genre, whose origins go back many years, was invented in the United States, has been in existence for a long time in India too, but has only risen to prominence in recent years.
It is known to all of us that India is a country that is obsessed with cricket. For cricket fans in India, cricket is not just a sport, but a whole lot more. It is nothing less than a religion for them, and their favourite cricketers are nothing short of heroes and idols. These cricketers are famous for putting up spectacular shows in various cricket tournaments and bringing home some of the world’s most prestigious trophies, in turn making every Indian proud of their achievements.
Therefore, it is little wonder that the popularity of fantasy cricket has boomed beyond expectations in India, as this format of the game allows players to enjoy the game of cricket from the comfort of their homes. The growth in the availability of high-quality internet services across the length and breadth of the country has contributed to the rise in the number of players playing fantasy cricket on their mobile phones.
So, how do you play fantasy cricket?
Even as a layperson, getting started with fantasy cricket is very simple! The first thing you need to do is download a new fantasy app for cricket. Once that is done, you need to select an upcoming cricket match and create your very own virtual cricket team that is composed of 11 players of your choice. Having created your team, you will need to deposit some money and join a contest and track the contest leaderboard to see how your selected players are performing once the actual match begins. You will earn points on the basis of how these players perform in the real-world match.
Clearly, fantasy cricket provides all cricket fans with a great platform to put their cricket knowledge to the test. But, it must also be clarified at this point that fantasy cricket is not just any old mobile phone game. Fantasy sports, it has been ruled, are not games of chance or gambling, but games of skill. Being good at fantasy cricket requires intelligence, foresight, an analytical mind, and a thorough knowledge of cricket. Playing fantasy cricket is an excellent way to put your cricketing knowledge to the test!
With that being said, let’s have a look at some of the factors that are crucial in winning a fantasy cricket match in this blog.
1. Alertness, research, and preparedness
We are all familiar with the old adage ‘knowledge is power, and this very same adage holds great importance in fantasy cricket. Staying alert and updated regarding the latest news about players, teams, as well as the playing lineup, will help you fine-tune your own playing lineup. Having a thorough knowledge about players and following post-match briefings as well as announcements will put you in a better position when it comes to managing your team.
2. Recent player performance
It is often said that form is temporary but class is permanent. In fantasy cricket, however, form is much more important than records, past performance or awards. This is because the points you earn in a match depend entirely on how a player plays in that specific match, so past stellar displays of cricket have no bearing on the outcome of a game. Be sure to check the recent performance statistics of your selected players as this will help to make a more accurate prediction of how they may perform on the day of the actual match.
3. Top-order batsmen
Batsmen are the players who will play the maximum number of balls and will therefore help you score the most points in the game. Especially with regard to limited-overs matches (such as T20 matches), make it a point to select the top order batsmen for your lineup so that you have a greater chance of winning.
4. Weather and cricket pitch conditions
Two things that you should keep an eye out for are weather conditions and the condition of the pitch at the location where a match is scheduled to be held, as these are two very important factors that affect the outcome of a game. Certain players put on a spectacular show on a normal day while others perform just as amazingly on heavily windy days. Select your players on the basis of their strengths and abilities to perform under different weather and pitch conditions.
5. Choices for captain and vice-captain
Said to be the most important aspect of team selection, the choices you make for your captain and vice-captain could make the difference between winning big and going home. This is because, in fantasy cricket apps, the captain earns 2 times the points that normal players earn and the vice-captain earns 1.5 times the points that normal players earn. Take special care while selecting your captain and vice-captain as this can make or break your game.
6. The actual lineup of players
Very often, fantasy cricket players tend to overlook this detail. Occasionally, it is seen that there are last-minute changes to the lineup of players actually playing the match. For fantasy cricket players, few things are more frustrating than a setback of this sort where a chosen cricketer does not play in the actual match. Therefore it is important to remain flexible and adaptable with regard to team selection and be prepared to make last-minute changes to your team as well to maximize your chances of winning. Try to avoid selecting players who have been benched during the season.
7. The format of cricket being played
It may not seem that obvious at first, but selecting players on the basis of the format of cricket being played does go a long way in helping you have a winning squad. For example, selecting top-order batsmen is more advisable for limited-overs matches (such as IPL or other T20 matches) while it is a safer bet to select middle-order cricketers for much longer drawn matches (such as One Day International matches).
If you just keep these handy tips in mind when you start playing fantasy cricket, we are sure you will have a considerable edge over your competitors as you will not only be better informed but more adaptable at making changes to your team as may be required. What are you waiting for? Take the plunge, and immerse yourself in the wonderful world of fantasy cricket!
