If you've never built a fantasy XI before, read this once and the rest of the desk's reading falls into place. We walk through the format, the rules, the XI construction, the contest math, and the bankroll discipline. Slow reading is fine; reference later.
Fantasy cricket is a fan-led game in which you build a virtual team of eleven real cricketers — drawn from a squad pool — and score points based on what those cricketers do in a real-life match. Different platforms use different rules; the broad shape is the same.
The skill is selection — picking the players whose real-life performance is most likely to convert into fantasy points. The variance is high; over a single match anything can happen; over a season the disciplined contestant comes out ahead.
You pick eleven players from a squad of ~200 across the ten IPL franchises, within a virtual budget (commonly 100 credits). You pick a captain (whose points are doubled) and a vice-captain (whose points are multiplied by 1.5). The other nine return at face value.
Your XI must include a minimum number of batters (usually 3), at least one wicketkeeper (1–4), and a maximum of seven players from one franchise. The "all-rounder" role is the leverage slot — a player who bats and bowls doesn't burn a single role.
Your XI locks at the deadline (usually the toss) and earns fantasy points for the duration of the match. The fantasy-points reference is published by each operator. See the desk's points reference for the median version.
You pick eleven. The captain's points are doubled; the vice-captain's multiplied by 1.5. All other XI players return at face value.
Each player costs credits; your XI total must fit within the cap. Heavy-name players cost more credits. The lighter your XI, the more you can concentrate on a single captain pick.
Minimum 3 batters, 1 wicketkeeper (up to 4), and a maximum of 7 from any one franchise. All-rounders can fill batting or bowling slots, not both at once.
Once the contest deadline passes (usually the toss), your XI is locked. Some platforms allow Impact Player substitution at the toss; verify the operator's rules.
Every run, wicket, catch, milestone and dot ball translates to fantasy points. The points reference is published by each operator — verify against your specific operator.
Real-money fantasy is restricted to adult Indian citizens resident in eligible states. Verify your eligibility before you deposit. See the desk's legality brief.
Build your XI in five steps:
The captain pick is the highest-impact decision in your XI. Three captain-tier models exist:
The vice-captain pairs with the captain at 1.5×. Pair them across roles — one batter, one all-rounder, for instance — so the XI compensates if the conditions shift.
Contest types are listed in detail on the desk's contests lane. Quick summary for beginners:
Start with practice contests. Move to small leagues. Reserve mega contests for when you've built intuition for the points reference and the captain logic.
Treat fantasy as entertainment with arithmetic on top. Set a weekly budget before the first match and don't extend it. The desk's rule of thumb:
Set a deposit cap in the app. Verify your state permits real-money play. Pause if you feel the urge to chase losses. Real-money fantasy is for adults only.
Your selected team of eleven players for a contest.
XI member whose points are doubled.
XI member whose points are multiplied by 1.5.
The total credits you can spend on your XI. Usually 100.
A pick owned by less than 20% of contestants in a contest.
An IPL-specific rule allowing one substitution per side at any point in the match.
Runs scored per 100 balls faced. Many milestone bonuses depend on this.
Runs conceded per over bowled. Bowler milestone bonuses depend on this.
A dedicated fielder behind the stumps; many platforms allow up to four.
Practice contests first. Then a small league. Then expand as the rhythm of the format becomes familiar.