If you’ve ever tried your hand at Dream11, you’ve probably experienced that sinking feeling of watching your fantasy lineup crumble while someone else’s team performs exceedingly well.
Frustrating, isn’t it?
The difference often lies in the approach to picking players. And no, it’s not just about grabbing the biggest names. Choosing the best players for a contest in Dream11 is like solving a puzzle—every piece matters.
Here’s a breakdown of how to build a winning lineup step by step, minus the guesswork and with a lot of strategy. You’ll also learn a quick and easy way to do this using 11Wizards, one of the best fantasy cricket lineup builder apps and my personal favorite.
Player Selection Basics for Fantasy Cricket
You can’t rely on hunches and guesses while selecting your team. You need a strategy derived from sound logical reasoning.
You’ve got to think about factors like player roles, the toss outcome, the batting and bowling orders, etc. Each of these factors affects your scoring opportunities, and balancing them properly is key.
For instance, all-rounders are the unsung heroes of many fantasy teams. They can deliver points for your team with both bat and ball. Think Hardik Pandya and Glenn Maxwell from current times, or Shane Watson and Andrew Flintoff in days gone by. Understanding the value of all-rounders can significantly enhance your team’s performance.
Don’t forget your wicketkeeper, either. Most keepers these days are able to contribute with bat as well as in the field. Just think how good Adam Gilchrist, MS Dhoni, Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen are or have been with the bat as well as behind the stumps.
There’s also the Dream11 points system to consider. Points are awarded based on various performance metrics. Here’s a breakdown of how points are typically allocated:
| Performance Metric | Points Awarded |
| Runs Scored | +1 point |
| Boundary Bonus (4s) | +1 point |
| Six Bonus | +2 points |
| Half-Century Bonus (50 runs) | +8 points |
| Century Bonus (100 runs) | +16 points |
| Dismissal for a Duck (Batter, Wicket-Keeper, & All-Rounder) | -2 points |
| Strike Rate Points (Minimum 10 Balls Faced) | |
| – Below 50 runs per 100 balls | -6 points |
| – Between 50 and 59.99 runs per 100 balls | -4 points |
| – Between 60 and 70 runs per 100 balls | -2 points |
| Performance Metric | Points Awarded |
| Wicket Taken (excluding run-out) | +25 points |
| 4 Wicket Bonus | +8 points |
| 5 Wicket Bonus | +16 points |
| Maiden Over | +8 points |
| Economy Rate Points (Minimum 2 Overs Bowled) | |
| – Between 4 and 5 runs per over | +4 points |
| – Between 5 and 6 runs per over | +2 points |
| Fielding Metrics | |
| – Catch | +8 points |
| – Stumping/Run Out (direct) | +12 points |
| – Run Out (Thrower/Catcher) | +6 points each |
What Really Matters When Choosing Players
Let’s be honest: relying on gut feelings to select players is like playing roulette.
Instead, focus on these three pillars:
1. Player Ability
First and foremost, analyse the player’s long-term reputation as well as their current form. For example, take the case of Virat Kohli, who has been a consistent performer in international cricket. If he’s recently scored an average of 50 runs over the last five matches, he’s likely a safe bet for your team. On the contrary, if you notice a player like Shikhar Dhawan struggling with an average of just 15 in recent outings, it might be wise to reconsider his inclusion.
Another strategy that can set you apart is to keep an eye out for players in good form who may not have a strong reputation yet. These players often have lower selection percentages (sel%) and can serve as excellent differentiators in your team. A great example is Riyan Parag during IPL 2024. He started scoring consistently and ended up with a total of 573 runs at the end of IPL 2024. Including such players can give you an edge over competitors who prefer more popular choices.
You can analyse performance through metrics such as average points scored, the percentage of times they make it into the best XI, and their highest scores in recent games.
2. Batting Order/Bowling Allocations
Next up is the batting order and bowling allocations. Players batting higher in the order typically have more opportunities to score runs, especially the first powerplay.
For instance, selecting an opener like Abhishekh Sharma can be advantageous as he is an opener more into getting big hits than singles. He can make the best out of the powerplay and give you extra credits for hitting boundaries and over-boundaries. Similarly, consistent bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, who bowl in death overs, usually have higher wicket-taking potential.
3. Relative Team Strengths
If Team A has a great batting lineup going against a weak bowling attack from Team B, it’s wise to pick opening batters from Team A instead of middle-order batters since they might not have a chance to bat. On the contrary, if Team B has a strong bowling unit and Team A’s batters are struggling, you might want to include more bowlers from Team B instead. Understand and compare team strengths to create a strong team.
4. Pitch and Weather Conditions
Not all pitches are created equal, and if you’re ignoring this, you’re leaving points on the table. A high-scoring ground like Bengaluru demands batter-heavy lineups, while a slow track in Chennai might call for spinners. Weather matters too. Rain can shorten games, reducing scoring opportunities for batters but making bowlers more critical.
A good rule of thumb: Research the venue. Is it known for spin, seam, or big scores? Then match your selections accordingly.
Using Analytics and Data to Build Winning Lineups
Data is your biggest ally in fantasy cricket. If you’re looking at and analysing the right metrics, you have a chance of beating your competition.
But what are those metrics?
11Wizards is the only app that provides two key sets of metrics specifically for fantasy cricket: historical and predictive.
Historical Data on 11Wizards
Past performance is an indicator of future performance, but more recent performances should be given higher weight in this regard. On the Player Research Dashboard of the 11Wizards App, you’ll find the following key historical metrics for each player who is part of the squad for a particular match:
- Average Points Scored: The average fantasy score of the player over all the matches the player has featured in over the last two years in the same format. This is specific to the platform you have chosen the contest from.
- Best XI %: The percentage of times the player has featured in the Best XI of a match from all the matches of the same format that he/she has featured in over the last two years.
- Top Score %: The percentage of times the player has been the top fantasy points scorer in a match from all the matches of the same format that he/she has featured in over the last two years.
These metrics reveal how consistent and reliable a player has been over the last two years. The higher the numbers for all these metrics, the better pick a player could potentially be.
Use 11Wizards’ Predictive Metrics for Better Analysis
Historical data alone isn’t going to do the trick for you. Fantasy cricket success lies on predictions, so you need a forward looking approach. That’s why 11Wizards also provides predictive metrics, which are calculated using advanced predictive analytics on millions of data points of players, venues, weather and pitch conditions, relative team strengths and much more:
- Expected Points Scored: The number of points a player is expected to score in the upcoming match, as predicted by the 11Wizards algorithm.
- Best XI%: The chance of a player featuring in the Best XI of the upcoming match, as predicted by the 11Wizards’ algorithm.
- Top Score%: 11Wizards’ prediction of the chances of a player being the top fantasy points scorer in the upcoming match.
Combining these 2 sets of metrics, 11Wizards gives you multiple fantasy teams at the tap of a button. You can then simply export these to your preferred fantasy cricket app and start playing.
Team Selection Mistakes You Should Absolutely Avoid
Even the best strategies can fail if you fall into these common traps:
Overloading Players from One Team
This is one of the most common rookie mistakes I see regularly, and it is most common in matches where one of the teams is much stronger than the other. People want to pick more players from the stronger team and believe they will be able to score high that way. It’s easy to understand this logic but it is fallacious from a strictly fantasy team-building point of view. Your objective is to maximise your score, regardless of who wins the match. Consider in-form players who are likely to contribute from both teams in your team selection.
Ignoring All-Rounders
Players who can bat and bowl are gold in fantasy cricket. They have double the chances to contribute points, yet many players overlook them in favour of specialist batters or bowlers.
Choosing Based on Popularity
Don’t let social media or the number of players selecting someone sway you. Popular picks aren’t always the best-performing ones.
Choosing Your Captain and Vice-Captain
This is where you can really boost your score. Remember, the captain earns 2x points and the vice-captain gets 1.5x. So, pick players who are consistent and likely to stay involved throughout the match—think all-rounders or top-order batters in good form.
But sometimes, it’s worth taking a risk. If you know the conditions favor a lesser-known player, making them your captain could give you an edge.
Balancing Risk and Reward For grand leagues, you’ll need to think differently. Safe picks might not cut it here—you need players who can outperform expectations. But don’t bet your entire lineup on wild cards. Mix it up: A solid core of reliable players balanced with a few high-risk, high-reward picks can work wonders.
Conclusion: The Winning Formula
Start by understanding the basics: roles, scoring opportunities, and player form. Layer on match-specific factors like pitch and weather conditions. Then, use data to back your choices, refining your lineup with pre-toss and post-toss predictions from apps like 11Wizards.
And above all, don’t overthink it. Sure, there’s a lot to consider, but at the end of the day, fantasy cricket is meant to be fun. So, build your team, make your picks, and enjoy the thrill of watching your strategy come to life on the field. Who knows? With the right choices, that top spot in the leaderboard could be yours.
