Understanding the points system is the single biggest competitive advantage a fantasy cricket player can have. Most players pick on instinct or name recognition. Players who understand how each category scores — and how bonuses stack — consistently outperform. This lesson is your complete reference.
Batting Points
- Run scored: +1 pt per run
- Boundary (4): +1 bonus pt
- Six: +2 bonus pts
- Half-century (50 runs): +8 pts
- Century (100 runs): +16 pts
- Duck (0 off multiple deliveries): −2 pts (batters) or −4 pts (top-order)
Strike-rate bonuses and penalties also apply in T20 and ODI formats. A batter who scores 30 off 15 balls (SR 200) earns a +6 bonus, while a batter who scores 30 off 40 balls (SR 75) loses −6. This makes aggressive batters far more valuable than accumulation-first ones in T20 fantasy.
Bowling Points
- Wicket: +25 pts
- Bonus: 4 wickets in an innings +4 pts, 5 wickets +8 pts
- Maiden over: +8 pts (Tests/ODIs)
- Economy rate bonus: under 5 runs/over = +6 pts, 5–5.99 = +4, 6–7 = +2
- Economy rate penalty: 10–11 runs/over = −2, 11–12 = −4, above 12 = −6
Bowling is the only category where negative points compound. A bowler who concedes 15 an over doesn't just score zero — they lose your team points while removing a slot you could have filled with a productive player. Economy rate is as important as wickets for total fantasy value.
Fielding Points
- Catch: +8 pts
- Stumping: +12 pts (also credited to keeper)
- Run-out (direct): +12 pts
- Run-out (indirect assist): +6 pts
Wicketkeepers earn both stumping and catch credits — this is why they're the most points-dense fielding option. An active keeper behind the stumps can add 20–40 fielding points on a wicket-heavy day.
Captain and Vice-Captain Multipliers
Your captain earns 2× points and your vice-captain earns 1.5× points. This means a captain who scores 60 raw points contributes 120 to your team, and a 40-point vice-captain contributes 60. In a 500-point team total, captain selection can account for 20–25% of your score. Captaincy is the single decision with the highest leverage.
Use the AI Captain Optimizer in the team builder. It recommends top captaincy picks based on recent avg points, venue stats, and current form — not just name recognition.
How to Maximise Your Points Total
- Pick players with guaranteed roles — batters who open, bowlers who bowl full allocations.
- Avoid non-batting bowlers batting at 9, 10, 11 — they score runs rarely.
- Captain an all-rounder who both bats and bowls — double points exposure.
- Use fielding bonuses to break ties — a catcher-keeper beats a specialist keeper who doesn't bat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a run-out off a wide ball count for points?
Yes. If a batter is run out off a no-ball or wide, the fielder still receives credit for the run-out. The wide/no-ball penalty is charged to the bowler separately.
Can a player score negative total points?
Yes, in theory. A batsman who scores a duck (−2 or −4) and bowls expensively can end with negative points. Batting ducks combined with economy-rate penalties are the most common path to negative totals for all-rounders.
Do substitute fielders earn catch points?
Substitute fielders do not count as part of your fantasy XI, so their catches or run-outs do not contribute points — even if the player is in your team. Only actions taken by a player when officially playing as part of the XI count.
Is the points system the same for IPL and international matches?
CricketDream uses the same scoring formula across all T20 formats. ODI and Test formats apply the maiden-over bonus and adjust strike-rate thresholds. The format is shown on each match — check it before finalising your XI.
Put the points system to work — build your highest-ceiling XI.
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