Fantasy cricket team combinations
Every fantasy cricket game sets rules for how many players of each role you can pick. Once you know the limits, choosing a shape for your team becomes a deliberate decision rather than whatever fits the budget.
Updated
The usual rules
Most single-match fantasy cricket games use the same framework:
- 11 players, chosen from the two teams in the match;
- 100 credits to spend, with each player carrying a price;
- no more than 7 players from one real team;
- minimum and maximum numbers for each role.
A widely used set of role limits is:
| Role | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Wicket-keeper (WK) | 1 | 4 |
| Batter (BAT) | 3 | 6 |
| All-rounder (AR) | 1 | 4 |
| Bowler (BWL) | 3 | 6 |
Some games and tournament fantasy contests are stricter, for example allowing only one or two wicket-keepers. Always check the rules screen of the game you are playing.
Common team shapes
With one wicket-keeper, these are the shapes you see most often:
| Shape | WK | BAT | AR | BWL | When it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | 1 | 4 | 3 | 3 | Most T20s; three all-rounders give you six bowling options |
| Batting-heavy | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | Flat pitches and short boundaries |
| Bowling-heavy | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | Slow or seaming pitches, low totals expected |
| All-rounder stack | 1 | 3 | 4 | 3 | When both sides have genuine all-rounders in the top six |
| Two keepers | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | When both keepers open or bat at No. 3 |
How to choose a shape
Start from the pitch and the role of each player, not from the shape itself:
- Count real bowlers. A player listed as an all-rounder who bowls one over a season is really a batter. Count only players likely to bowl most of their overs.
- Count top-order batters. In a T20, players batting from No. 1 to No. 4 get the most balls.
- Match the conditions. On a batting surface, lean on batters and keepers who open. On a bowling surface, add a fourth or fifth front-line bowler.
Why wicket-keepers can be good value
Keepers score from batting and from catches and stumpings. A keeper who opens the batting is often one of the highest-scoring picks in a T20, and the rules let you pick up to four. When both keepers bat in the top three, playing two of them is a reasonable choice.
The 7-player limit
Being allowed seven from one side does not mean you should always use it. Seven from one team is a strong statement that this side will dominate; if they collapse, so does your team. A 6–5 or 7–4 split works when you have a clear view; 6–5 either way is a safer default.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pick 11 players from one team?
No. Most games cap you at seven from one side, so you always need at least four from the other.
Do all-rounders count as batters or bowlers?
Neither. They fill their own role slot, but they score points from both batting and bowling, which is why they are popular picks.
Are the role limits the same in ODIs and Tests?
Usually the same structure applies, but check each game. Points tables change a lot between formats, even when the team rules stay the same.