How To Build A Match-Winning Fantasy Team For Different Formats In 2025?

To win and maximize your points in any fantasy cricket leagues like grand leagues, head-to-head, mega leagues, etc, on the Dream11, My11Cricket, etc platform, you should make your best team.

To increase your fantasy points, you need to understand basic cricket metrics like how the fantasy points system works, pitch report, news updates, etc., all those factors are important to making a fantasy team for different formats.

In this article, we will explain to you how to build a match-winning fantasy cricket team and also provide tips and strategies for all formats of cricket that maximize your fantasy points to beat your opponent. 

 

Tips For Picking The Best Fantasy Cricket Team

• Start With Player Form & Consistency:

Player consistency is the most important factor in building a fantasy cricket team. To select the players based on the current state or the last 5 matches/series. performance. 

1. Analyze recent results from both domestic and international T20 league matches.
2. Analyse the bowling or batting averages from the previous five to ten games.
3. Avoid selecting stars based just on reputation; look for players who are in rhythm.

 

• Read the Pitch & Weather Report:

To build a fantasy team, pitch and weather reports play an important role from the outside. How To Analyze Pitch Report For Fantasy Cricket? You should check the pitch condition, it is favour for batting or bowling.  

1. Pitches that are favorable to batting: Select all-rounders and top-order batters. Like the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru
2. Pitch that is bowler-friendly: Give priority to striking bowlers who can take advantage of spin or swing.For example Chapuak Stadium in Chennai favours spinners. 
3. Weather: Matches impacted by rain may have fewer overs, which could have an impact on some players' performances. For example, the DRS method means reducing and giving a new target the overs when time is less due to heavy rain (follow this rule in T20I and ODI). 

 

• Use Match-Ups & Head-to-Head Data:

Before making the team check, each player's performance against the team and players is checked. Head-to-head and match-up players/teams help to choose the right players against them. Find the strengths and weaknesses of players and teams. 

1. Study the players' head-to-head records against their next opponents.
2. Think about bowlers who have regularly caused problems for particular batsmen.
3. Look out, batsmen who do well against specific bowling attacks.

 

For Example: 

Team Head to Head

 

Virat Kohli ODI State Matchup(Last 5 years)

 

*In above table shows that Virat Kohli is good against Kemar Roach with 142 average and is most dismissed against Tim Southee. He struggles to take runs against Adam Zampa with just a 22 average. He loves to play against Bangladesh and struggles against England.

• Balance Your Team with Credits:

In cricket, there are 4 categories: Top Batsmen, Bowlers, Wicketkeepers, and All-rounders. Make your team with less credit follow this chain: 4-1-2-4. 4 Batman (2 each team), 1(Wickek keeper), 2 Alloriunder(1 each team) and 4 bowlers (2 each teams).  

1. Top-order batsmen like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have a higher chance of scoring a lot since they see more deliveries.
2. Choose strike bowlers, like as Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult, who have more opportunities to take wickets during powerplays and at the end.
3. All-around players: In the final overs, hard-hitters like Hardik Pandya or M Stonis might increase scores. They are quite useful in fantasy cricket since they can contribute with both bat and ball.
4. Wicketkeepers: Select wicketkeepers like Haleen Klaseen who also play aggressively as batters. 

 

• Pick a Smart Captain & Vice-Captain:

In fantasy system points, the captain and vice captain me extra points. Captain gets *2 and vice captain gets *1.5 of the total points. 

For example, if Virat Kohli is a captain, he gets total points of 70(including playing11, runs scored, and boundaries), so now he is the captain of the team, so multiply the points by *2, his total fantasy points are now 140. 

1. Captain Pick: It's safe to go with a reliable performer like Virat Kohli.
2. Select an all-around player who can score runs in a variety of ways, like Hardik Pandya, to be the vice-captain. 

 

• Avoid Picking All Big Names:

Most of the people pick big names like Kane Williamson, T Head, etc., check their injury news, current performance, etc. 

1. Instead of focusing on their career records, look at their current season's statistics.
2. Select players who are playing important roles and receiving a lot of game time.

 

• Keep Updated with Toss and Playing 11 News:

Keep yourself updated with the latest cricket news, like toss, injury, etc. Those updates affect your fantasy team. 

1. Top-order batters become even more important when a team is chasing.
2. In the second innings, spinners are more useful if the pitch is slowing down.

 

• Follow Expert Predictions:

Several fantasy cricket platforms, such as Grand11, offer player insights, expert analysis, and fantasy team for different formats. To improve your team, keep up with these reports.

1. Read professional fantasy cricket analysts' match previews.
2. Watch pre-game talks to gain last-minute knowledge.
3. To determine popular picks, track patterns in player selections.

 

Strategies For The Best Fantasy Cricket Team For Different Formats

All fantasy tips are not the same for all formats. You should make different strategies for different cricket formats. 

• ODI Cricket:

In an ODI (One Day International) match, it is 50 overs match each team plays 50 overs. It is balanced between speed and control the inning in the middle overs. 

Powerplay rule in ODI is:

1. First Powerplay (Overs 1–10): To create a favorable hitting environment, only two fielders are permitted outside the 30-yard circle.
2. Second Powerplay (Overs 11–40): This gives the fielding side more control by allowing up to four fielders to be placed outside the 30-yard circle. 
3. Third Powerplay (Overs 41–50): The importance of death-over specialists is highlighted by the fact that no more than five fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle.

Fantasy tips for ODI matches:

1. Top-order batsmen have a higher probability of making large runs because they deal with the most deliveries.
2. Death-Over Bowlers: Experts in the last overs are essential for minimizing the opposition's runs and taking wickets. ​
3. Spin bowlers: They specialize in taking wickets and limiting runs in the middle overs.
4. All-Rounders: They provide versatility and more opportunities to score runs thanks to their dual contributions with the bat and ball.

 

• T20 Cricket:

In a T20 game is all about speed and power hitting; in T20, the game consists of 20 overs for each team. Powerplay rule in T20 is the first 6 overs, where only 2 fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. 

Fantasy tips for T20I matches:

1. Big-Hitting Batsmen: Priority should be given to power hitters in the top three positions who can score runs quickly by taking advantage of fielding limits during the powerplay.
2. Death-Over Specialists: Some bowlers are known for their proficiency in the last overs because they have a higher chance of taking significant wickets and limiting runs.
3. All-rounders: Players who are good with both the bat and the ball add variety and a lot of scoring opportunities.
4. Wicket-Keeper batsman: Choose wicket-keepers who can contribute with runs and dismissals and who are also good batsmen.

 

• Test Cricket:

In this format, Test is the long format. In this cricket format match, play 5 days, 90 overs per day, with each team playing 2 inning, a total of 4 innings are played in a test.  Their no powerplay in the format.

Fantasy tips for Test matches:

1. Technically sound batsmen should be selected based on their defensive strategies and ability to remain in the crease for extended periods.
2. Bowlers with pace: Pick bowlers with speed who can take advantage of swinging and seaming conditions, especially early in the game.
3. Spin Bowlers: Spinners are becoming more and more effective as the surface deteriorates during the game, making them valuable assets in the later stages.
4. To increase the chance of catches and stumpings, select wicketkeepers who consistently work with their gloves.
5. All-Rounders: All-round players provide flexibility and increased opportunities to score throughout play.

 

FAQ

• What impact do powerplay rules have on fantasy cricket strategies?

Fantasy picks are affected by powerplay rules, which increase scoring chances by favoring aggressive batters early on and bowlers who perform well under pressure.

• In fantasy cricket, how important is a wicket-keeper?

Wicket-keepers are essential in fantasy cricket as they contribute to the game by batting and fielding and can receive points for catches, stumpings, and runs.

• How can I choose my fantasy cricket team's top batsmen?

For solid fantasy points, select top-order batsmen who are in form and keep updated on the venue's pitch conditions, player statistics, matchups, and previous results.

• What bowling advice would you provide someone new to playing fantasy cricket?

For the most fantasy points, choose bowlers who can take a lot of wickets, bowl in powerplays or death overs, and fit the pitch conditions.