The official Playing XI is announced roughly 30 minutes before the first ball. In that window, everything changes: a key batter is dropped, a debutant comes in, a pace bowler gets the nod on a green pitch. If you're relying on a team you built two days ago, you're flying blind.
How CricketDream's XI notification works
CricketDream automatically fetches the official Playing XI from ESPN Cricinfo as soon as it's published — for post-toss ICC tournaments, this happens right after the toss (around 30 minutes before play); for bilateral series, it's confirmed within 1–2 minutes of ball one. The moment our system saves the XI, a push notification goes to every user who has a team submitted for that match.
- Title: "✅ Playing XI confirmed!"
- Body: "The Playing XI for [Team A] vs [Team B] is out. Review your team before lock."
- Tap → lands on the Team Builder for that match, pre-loaded with your existing selection
What to do when the notification arrives
- Tap the notification — it takes you straight to the builder
- Check confirmed Playing XI markers (green ✓ XI) on each of your picks
- Look for any player marked OUT (red OUT badge) — swap them immediately
- If a high-value player just made the XI and isn't in your team, use the 🎯 Diff tab to see their current ownership %
- Save your team before the countdown hits zero
Enabling push notifications
The first time you visit the Team Builder, CricketDream will ask to send you notifications. Tap Allow. On iOS, you need to add the site to your Home Screen first (Share → Add to Home Screen) for push notifications to work — this is an Apple requirement for all web apps.
You get one notification per match, exactly when the XI is confirmed. There are no spam alerts — if a match has no fantasy users, no notification is sent.
Why this edge matters
Research across fantasy platforms consistently shows that users who update their team after the XI announcement score 15–25% more points on average than those who don't. The announcement window is the last legal edge available before lock — CricketDream's push notification is designed to make sure you never miss it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does CricketDream send the Playing XI notification?
For ICC tournaments (World Cup, Champions Trophy, Asia Cup, etc.), the notification fires right after the toss — typically 25–30 minutes before the first ball. For bilateral series (India vs England, etc.), it fires within 1–2 minutes of ball one. In both cases you receive the alert the moment the XI is officially confirmed and saved to the platform.
What should I do when I get the Playing XI alert?
Tap the notification to open the Team Builder, then immediately check for any player marked as "OUT" (red badge) in your current XI. Swap them before the countdown reaches zero. Then scan the confirmed XI — if a high-ownership player is in your team but has been dropped, it's also a good moment to look at lower-ownership replacements in the 🎯 Diff tab.
How do I enable push notifications on CricketDream?
When you first visit the Team Builder, the site asks permission to send notifications — tap Allow. On Android and desktop Chrome this works immediately. On iOS you must add CricketDream to your Home Screen first (Safari → Share → Add to Home Screen), then open it from there — Apple only allows web push notifications through Home Screen apps.
Does CricketDream send a notification for every match?
You only receive a notification for matches where you have a team submitted. If you haven't entered a team for a given match, no alert is sent. Each match also triggers exactly one notification — there is no second alert if the XI changes, so act on the first one.
Can I still update my team after the XI notification?
Yes — as long as you save before the match lock time (typically when the first ball is bowled). The notification is an early warning to give you time. Most users have a 20–30 minute window. Once the match locks, your team is frozen and no further edits are possible.
Build your team and get XI alerts
🏏 Open Team Builder