How to Play and Win in Dream11 Fantasy Cricket?

Dream11 has emerged as one of India’s leading fantasy sports platforms, enabling approximately 220 million fans to transform their cricket knowledge into potential rewards. Nevertheless, winning consistently on Dream11 involves much more than mere luck; it requires a good understanding of the game, practical strategies, and awareness of critical factors that affect the outcome of matches.

For anyone wondering how to play Dream11, it’s pretty simple. You choose a team of real players who earn points based on their performance during the game. Success in Dream11 contests depends on critical factors: current player form, pitch conditions, team compositions, etc. Later, you must also understand how it works, including different match types, formats, and the fantasy point system. By refining your strategy and concentrating on key elements that impact match results, you can secure a substantial advantage in Dream11. This comprehensive blog covers everything you need to know to play and win, from understanding the basics to implementing advanced tactics that can help you excel in fantasy cricket.

How to Play Dream11 Contests?

To start with Dream11, download the app directly from the website (or) Google Play Store (Android) and App Store (iOS). Let us understand the following steps: selecting matches, creating a team, and joining the right contests.

Select a Match

Log in to the app and choose the right match, which is your first step in Dream11. Browse through the upcoming matches on the platform and focus on the ones you know well or have researched. Selecting a match where you understand the teams and players better will give you an advantage in predicting their outings.

Create a Team Based on Multiple Factors

You have 100 credits to create a team for each game.  A maximum of ten players can be chosen from a single team. To build a high-performing team on Dream11, consider these factors before choosing your players. First, check the Toss outcome, as it affects which players will have more chances to bat or bowl. Next, look at the Pitch Report—knowing if it’s good for scoring runs or favours bowlers will help you make better choices.

When choosing players, look at each player’s role and their recent performance. You assemble a squad of 11 players with various roles: Wicketkeeper, Batters, All-rounders, and Bowlers. Wicketkeepers can earn extra points for catches and stumpings. Batters are key on pitches that score many runs, while bowlers do well on pitches that favour spin or seam movement. All-rounders are flexible and can score points in multiple ways, making them a good choice for captaincy. Also, focus on bowlers who bowl in the powerplay or death overs because these times are crucial for taking wickets and limiting runs.

Join a Contest

Once your team is ready, look into the different contests Dream11 offers, such as Head-to-Head matches and Mega Leagues. In Head-to-Head contests, you compete against just one other player, which makes it easier to manage risks. Typically, you can enter these contests with a maximum limit of one team. In contrast, Mega Leagues have lakhs of participants and offer bigger prizes, but they come with more competition. In these leagues, a player can enter with multiple teams.

Top Tips and Tricks for Winning in Dream11

To maximise your chances of winning in Dream11, refining your strategy by applying a few key tips is essential. These tips will help you build a strong team, make smart choices, and avoid common mistakes.

Play Selective Matches

Many players often make the mistake of joining too many matches at once. Instead, focusing on a few matches where you understand the teams and players involved is better. By choosing familiar matches, you can make informed decisions and select the right players rather than throwing darts in the dark.

Conduct Thorough Research

Research is the backbone of any successful Dream11 strategy. Reviewing player stats, recent performances, pitch conditions, and team news helps build a strong team. Checking whether a player has consistently scored runs or taken wickets can give you an idea of their form. Use 11Wizards’ player research tool to stay updated and find all the meaningful statistics at one place.. This research will help you make data-driven decisions, boosting your fantasy team’s performance.

Also Read: Why 11Wizards is the Best Fantasy Cricket Lineup Builder

Understand Player Roles and Team Dynamics

Understanding each player’s role in the team cannot be overstated. For example, All-rounders can earn you points in multiple areas; do not overdo it, as they may only sometimes be the best choice (as they may get fewer deliveries). Including both powerplay batsmen and death-over bowlers is an excellent idea to cover critical parts of the game. Powerplay batters are likely to score runs quickly, while death-over bowlers usually have better chances to take wickets in the match’s final stages.

Difference Between Grand Leagues and Small Leagues

Dream11 has different types of leagues, each with its features. Grand Leagues have many thousands of participants and often bigger prize pools. They are suitable for high-risk, high-reward opportunities. However, winning these leagues requires a good mix of skill and strategy because of the heavy competition. Small Leagues have fewer players, which increases your chances of winning and lowers the risk. If you are new to the platform, choosing Small Leagues can be safer.

Diversify Your Investments

Enter several contests instead of spending all your money on one match. This lowers your risk of losing a lot in a single game. For example, if you have ₹500, try entering multiple small contests instead of using all ₹500 on one high-stakes match. You could put some in Grand contests, some in Head to Head, and some in private contests. This strategy reduces potential losses and allows you to experiment with different approaches.

Take Calculated Risks

Picking a team of famous players might feel safe, but there can be real value in picking low-ownership gems, i.e., underrated ones. These players usually have a lower selection rate, but they can surprise everyone with outstanding performances on their day. Check the selection percentages available on the 11Wizards player research tool that provides information around which players are underpicked and consider including them. 11Wizards makes this even easier by automatically including such picks in your generated fantasy lineup if they are poised for a breakthrough performance.

Choose Your Captain and Vice-Captain Wisely

Your captain and vice-captain are important because these roles have the highest point multipliers—2x for the captain and 1.5x for the vice-captain. Pick players performing well and likely to play critical roles, like top-order batters or all-rounders. For instance, a bowler doing well in recent matches makes a good choice for vice-captain, while an in-form top-order batter could be a strong captain. (Link: Captain- Vice-captain blog).

Related:

How to Choose Captain and Vice Captain in Dream11

Fantasy Cricket Tips and Strategies

Advanced Strategies for Dream11

After you’ve grasped the fundamentals, applying advanced strategies can give you an extra edge in Dream11 contests.  Focus on these three key tactics to boost your lineup.

Pitch Analysis

Before prioritising players, consider whether the pitch is known to be batting-friendly or bowling-friendly. For instance, flat pitches with little grass usually assist batters, leading to high scores. On the other hand, pitches with a lot of grass or moisture support seam bowlers, while dry pitches are better for spinners. Looking at the venue conditions can help you pick players whose skills align better.

Use Predictive Analytics

While general cricket stats like career average, strike rate, runs scored, etc, can provide a broad understanding of a player’s reliability, to truly gain an edge, you need statistics that are specific to fantasy cricket. 11Wizards provides fantasy cricket players with relevant metrics that level up their game. Our app has two categories which help take account a player’s reliability in fantasy cricket and their expected performance for the upcoming match. It assists users in getting a comprehensive view while making their fantasy cricket lineup. For each player expected to take part in the match (whether confirmed or not), you will find these statistics in the player research section of the app.

Here are the key forward looking fantasy cricket statistics that take into account key factors for the upcoming match and predict players’ expected performance by using robust predictive analytics.

  • Best XI %: This metric indicates the chance of a player landing a place within the best possible fantasy XI at the end of the match. With 22 players playing the match (11 from each team), and any substitutions, each player has an approximately 50% chance on average. A higher percentage reflects a high likelihood of the player being included in the Best XI.
  • Top Fantasy Scorer %: It shows the chance of the player being the highest point scorer in a match. On average a player has an approximately 4 percent chance of being the highest scorer. A higher percentage will assist you to identify game-changers who often outperform others and can be contenders for captaincy.
  • Expected Points: This is the overall fantasy points that 11Wizards predicts the player to score in the upcoming match taking into account player ability, team totals, match conditions, team role dynamics and relative team strengths. The higher the number, the better the player is expected to perform.

Alongside these predicted stats, 11Wizards also has historical data across the same metrics that paints a clear understanding of the players long term reputation, short term form and reliability when it comes to fantasy cricket:

  • Average points: Average of the total fantasy cricket points scored by the player over the last two years, based on the total number of matches. Higher numbers reflect long-term reliability and consistency.
  • Best XI%: How many times a player has been included in the best XI for matches over the last 2 years. The higher the percentage, the more reliable the player has been over a long stretch of time.
  • Top Score%: How many times a player has been the top fantasy points scorer in matches over the last 2 years. This number reflects the player’s ability to deliver standout performances.
  • Recent Performances: A detailed breakdown of a player’s most recent five matches that help gauge their current form and ability to earn points through various cricketing actions such as batting, bowling and fielding.


Users get access to all the above metrics, which help them make data-driven decisions. These analytics help users get a fantasy specific overview for each player thus increasing their winning chances.

Also Read: Understanding the Lineup Wizard in 11Wizards

Evaluate Team Strengths

Another effective strategy is to focus on the team that has shown consistent strength and is expected to win. Filling your lineup with more players from the stronger team improves your chances of scoring high, as these players are more likely to dominate.  However, ensure to include a few key players from the opposing team to prepare for different outcomes.

A team’s dominance in certain situations can directly affect the opportunities available to specific players. For example, if a stronger team is chasing, their top-order batters might comfortably complete the target early given that they will be chasing a smaller total, leaving middle-order batters with little or no opportunity to bat. This limits their chances to contribute significantly to your fantasy score. Similarly, in the case of a strong defending team, their bowlers may pick up wickets quickly, which means death-over specialists might not get to bowl their full quota of overs. As a result, their potential for wickets or economy rate bonuses could be reduced.

Types of Dream11 Contest

Dream11 offers several types of contests to suit different players. Here’s a breakdown of the most popular ones:

1. Mega Contests

Mega contests are the biggest and most exciting. They have the largest prize pools, making them highly competitive. These contests are guaranteed, which means they will happen even if all slots are not filled. Typically, there is only one mega contest per match.

Related: How to Win in Fantasy Cricket Mega Contests

2. Public Contests

Public contests are open to everyone. However, not all of them are guaranteed. If the required spots are not filled, the entry fee is refunded to the participants. If a contest fills up completely, Dream11 creates a new one automatically.

3. Private Contests

Private contests are for playing with friends. These are invite-only contests where the creator decides the entry fee and prize pool. The number of participants is also determined by the contest creator.

4. Practice Contests

Practice contests are free and perfect for beginners. They let you learn the basics of fantasy cricket without risking money. These contests do not offer prize money but are a great way to improve your skills.

As you can see, Dream11 has something to offer for all levels of fantasy cricket players, regardless if they are a complete beginner or have been playing fantasy cricket for a long time.

Conclusion

To play and win in Dream11, you must think strategically and know the fantasy points system rules well. Start by carefully picking matches, researching player stats and pitch conditions and, more importantly, spreading your investments. Use advanced strategies like analysing the pitch, understanding team dynamics, and selecting the right captain and vice-captain to boost your performance.

Dream11 is as much about skill as it is about enjoying the thrill of the game. Each match and contest is an opportunity to learn, refine your approach, and improve your gameplay. Applying these tips enhances your chances of winning and adds to your overall gaming experience.

To further elevate your strategy, consider using the 11Wizards app, which provides predictive analytics and insights designed to support your Dream11 decisions. With features like player performance metrics, lineup predictions, and player research tools, 11Wizards can help you make more data-driven choices and find valuable picks you might not notice otherwise. For fantasy cricket enthusiasts, 11Wizards is a powerful tool to refine strategy and increase the probability of success. Download the 11Wizards app and enjoy your Dream11 journey with a positive attitude and a keen understanding of the game!

FAQs

How can you ensure that you always win in Dream11?

To win consistently in Dream11, you need skill, research, and strategy. While there’s no guaranteed way to win every time, there are things you can do to improve your chances, like analysing player performance, pitch conditions, and match specifics. Nevertheless, there are things you can do to improve your chances. Apps like the 11Wizards app can also help by providing data-driven insights and performance metrics.

How do I choose my Dream11 dream team picks?

To select a winning team, focus on players who are in good form and fit the specific match conditions: Prioritise top-order batters, all-rounders, and bowlers who excel in critical overs. Consider recent performances, pitch conditions, and team dynamics to make intelligent selections.
This is exactly where the 11Wizards app shines. It can significantly improve your team selection process by providing relevant fantasy-specific metrics as well as speed by using cutting-edge predictive analytics to automatically generate winning fantasy cricket teams for you.

How can I make a withdrawal from Dream11?

To withdraw your winnings from Dream11, navigate to the “My Balance” section in the app. The platform will verify your bank account details and/or UPI ID (as applicable) before processing your withdrawal. Once verified, you can enter the desired amount to complete your withdrawal request. Please note that the request typically takes 24-48 hours to be processed. A processing fee may apply. Once a transaction is confirmed, it is final and cannot be cancelled.

What are the best resources for researching player performance?

Player performance insights are essential for fantasy sports. While Dream11’s in-app stats, cricket news platforms like cricbuzz, ESPN Cricinfo, provide cricket-specific metrics, the 11Wizards app gears you up with fantasy-centric statistics such as Expected points, Best XI% and Top Scorer%. The 11Wizards app offers performance data and predictive analytics designed for fantasy contests.

AspectPre-Toss PredictionsPost-Toss Predictions
Accuracy of PredictionsPredictions are based on unconfirmed lineups, without knowing the toss outcome. They are ‘best guesses’ based on various data points and publicly available data. Usually less accuratePredictions are based on the actual outcome of the toss and the confirmed lineups, hence they are usually more accurate.
Risk and FlexibilityHigher risk due to unknown factors like which team will bat first and less flexibility as early lineups are based on projections rather than confirmed details.Lower risk as strategies can be adjusted to actual conditions; flexibility in adapting lineups based on the toss outcome and real-time match information.
Impact on StrategyEssential for early lineup locks in leagues requiring submissions before the toss; it involves a level of guesswork but allows early strategy development.Enables precise adjustments, allowing players to optimise lineups according to specific game conditions, such as team batting or bowling first.