How to Play Fantasy Cricket
A complete beginner's guide to building teams, understanding scoring, and competing on CricketDream.
What is Fantasy Cricket?
Fantasy cricket is a free, skill-based game where you build a virtual cricket team and earn points based on how real players perform in actual IPL matches. You pick 11 players within a credit budget, then watch them earn points through runs, wickets, catches, and other on-field actions.
The goal is simple: build the best-performing team and beat your friends. On CricketDream, you can play multiple formats — traditional team picks, draft leagues, or head-to-head battles.
Building Your Team
Step 1: Know Your Budget
Each player has a credit cost (9-16 Cr). Your total budget is usually 100 credits. You must pick exactly 11 players and stay within budget. This forces tough choices — you can't pick all 5 star players.
Step 2: Understand Roles
- Batsmen — earn points for runs (1 pt/run), fours (2 pts each), sixes (4 pts each)
- Bowlers — earn points for wickets (25 pts), maiden overs (10 pts), economy bonuses
- All-Rounders — earn points for both batting AND bowling
- Wicket-Keepers — earn batting points + bonus for catches (10 pts) and stumpings (10 pts)
Step 3: Pick Your 11
A balanced team typically has: 3-4 batsmen, 3-4 bowlers, 2-3 all-rounders, 1 wicket-keeper. Pick a captain (gets 2× points) and vice-captain (1.5× points) for even more strategy.
Pro Tip: Use CricketDream's player comparison tool to compare form, recent performances, and value. Check match previews for insights on pitch conditions and team strategies.
How Scoring Works
Playing XI Bonus:
- +4 points for being in the playing XI
Batting Points (per match):
- +1 point per run scored
- +2 points per boundary (four)
- +4 points per six
- +30 bonus points for a century (100+ runs)
- +15 bonus points for a half-century (50-99 runs)
- -2 penalty for a duck (0 runs, if batted)
Strike Rate Bonus (Batsmen):
- +8 points if strike rate ≥ 170
- +4 points if strike rate 150-169
- -6 points if strike rate < 70
Bowling Points (per match):
- +25 points per wicket
- +10 points per maiden over
- +25 bonus points for a 5-wicket haul
- +15 bonus points for a 3-wicket haul
Economy Rate Bonus (Bowlers, if 2+ overs bowled):
- +12 points if economy rate < 5
- +6 points if economy rate 5-7
- -4 points if economy rate 10-12
- -6 points if economy rate > 12
Fielding Points (Catches, Stumpings, Run-outs):
- +10 points per catch
- +10 points per stumping (keeper)
- +10 points per run-out (direct or indirect)
- +10 bonus points for 3+ fielding credits in a match
Special Awards:
- +25 points for Man of the Match (MOTM)
Captain/Vice-Captain Multiplier:
- Captain gets 2× their total points (batting + bowling + fielding + bonuses)
- Vice-Captain gets 1.5× their total points
Your team's total = sum of all player points + captain/VC multipliers.
Game Formats on CricketDream
Fantasy (Team Builder)
Build a fresh 11-player team for each match. You pick players, set captain/vice-captain, and compete. Points are calculated live during the match. Great for casual players and friends who want to compete without commitment.
Draft Leagues
Players are picked in a snake-draft format. If your friend picks Virat Kohli, you can't — forcing creative team building. Draft leagues run across multiple matches, accumulating points across your team for a season.
Predictor
Not a team format — predict match outcomes (winner, exact score, top batter, most wickets). Smaller predictions = bigger payoffs for accuracy.
Head-to-Head & Leagues
Challenge friends directly or join public leaderboards. Season-long competitions track your ranking against thousands of players.
Pro Tips to Win
1. Check Recent Form
A player's last 5 matches matter more than season average. Use CricketDream's player stats to see recent performance — form trends reveal who's hot right now.
2. Read Match Previews
Match previews discuss pitch type, playing XIs, weather, and team strategies. Batsmen dominate on flat pitches; bowlers on seaming tracks.
3. Understand Value
Don't just pick stars. A 9 Cr player averaging 40 points/match is better value than a 16 Cr star averaging 45. Value = points ÷ credits. Higher is better.
4. Captain Wisely
Make your captain a big hitter/bowler in a high-scoring match. If a player is expected to score 80 points, captaining them gives 160 — game-changing.
5. Balance Your XI
Don't pick all batsmen. A well-rounded team with 2-3 all-rounders and 3-4 bowlers is more consistent than 7 batsmen. Diversity reduces risk.
6. Play Multiple Formats
Try draft leagues, predictor games, and head-to-head — they require different skills. Tournament wins build your overall ranking.
Ready to Play?
Sign up for free and start building your fantasy team for the next IPL match.
🏏 Build Your TeamWant deeper strategy? Check out our fantasy cricket guides with draft strategies, player analysis, and match breakdowns.