The ten rules of fantasy cricket
Fantasy cricket looks intimidating but reduces to ten rules. Once a reader has the ten rules internalized, contest entry becomes quick.
Pick a real-life match
Every contest is anchored to a real match — IPL, T20, ODI, Test. You pick a virtual XI from the players in that match. Pick 11 players from the announced squad, no more, no less.
Stay within the salary cap
Each player has a virtual salary (e.g. Virat Kohli = 11 credits, a tail-ender = 7 credits). Total squad salary cannot exceed 100 credits. Pick your XI balancing star-power against depth.
Pick a captain and vice-captain
Captain (C) earns 2x points, Vice-captain (VC) earns 1.5x. These are the two highest-use picks of the entire squad. The lab's captain matrix is the most-read report every Monday.
Pick a balanced role-structure
Maximum 8 batsmen (incl. WK), 8 bowlers, 4 all-rounders, 4 wicket-keepers. Common builds: 4-3-3-1, 3-4-3-1, 4-4-3-0. The lab's most-cited finding: a balanced 4-3-3-1 outperforms all-batting stacks in 71% of winning squads.
Pick 1-3 from the opposition
Up to 7 from one team, 1-3 from the other. Most readers pick 6-7 from the favourites, 4-5 from the underdogs. Differential readers flip this — they pick 4-5 differential players from the underdogs to win mega contests.
Lock before the toss
Squads lock at toss. After toss, you cannot edit. Locking early captures late team-news advantages (last-minute changes, swap-outs, playing-XI confirmation). The lab's recommended lock window is 10-15 minutes before toss.
Earn points from real match events
Run = +1 pt, wicket = +25 pt, six = +6 pt, catch = +8 pt, half-century = +4 pt, duck = -2 pt. Captain multiplies everything. The full scoring grid is on the points-system page.
Pick a contest tier
₹3-₹10 entry for practice, ₹50-₹500 for weekly contests, ₹1,000-₹10,000 for mega pools. Beginners should start with practice contests before entering paid mega pools.
Track live
Live scores sync ball-by-ball with real match data. Contest points recalc every 5 seconds. Most readers watch the live scoreboard on the second screen during a match.
Withdraw winnings
Winnings land in the wallet within minutes of contest close. Withdraw via UPI (instant) or bank transfer (4-8 hours). Above ₹10,000 requires PAN verification.
Squad-builder walkthrough
The squad builder is the most-used screen in the app. Below is the standard sequence — most readers build their first squad in 78-90 seconds.
Pick 4 batsmen
Tap the Batsman tab. Top-order batsmen who bowl part-time overs (impact players) score the most fantasy points per match — they earn batting + bowling + occasional fielding points. Pick 3-4 of these.
Pick 3 all-rounders
Tap the All-rounder tab. All-rounders are the highest-value picks in T20 because they bat, bowl, and field — three scoring paths. Pick 3 all-rounders who bat in the top 7 and bowl 2-4 overs.
Pick 3 bowlers
Tap the Bowler tab. Death-over specialists (last 4 overs) score the most points per match because wickets fall fastest in the death overs. Pick 3 of these — 2 death + 1 powerplay.
Pick 1 wicket-keeper
Tap the WK tab. The wicket-keeper earns catch + stumping bonuses. A WK who bats in the top 6 earns batting + WK points, making them the highest-salary position in most squads.
Pick captain (C)
Tap the C radio button on the player you expect to score the most points. The differential-captain strategy picks a player with high upside but low ownership — see the captain matrix every Monday.
Pick vice-captain (VC)
Tap the VC radio button on your second-favourite. The VC earns 1.5x if the C underperforms. Common pattern: C is a high-upside differential pick, VC is the consensus-captain (the player most readers pick as C).
Contest types
Every contest platform offers the same six formats. The lab's analysis of which formats reward skill vs luck is below.
| Format | Players | Skill weight | When to enter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head-to-head (H2H) | 2 | Highest | Practice + skill-sharpening. 92% RTP. |
| 3-team / 5-team | 3 or 5 | High | Stepping-stone between H2H and mega pools. |
| Small league (10-20) | 10-20 | High | Tight format; captain pick matters most. |
| Large league (50-100) | 50-100 | Medium | Balanced; differential-captain strategy starts paying off. |
| Mega contest (1000+) | 1000-10,000 | Lower | Top-heavy prize. Differential-captain strategies dominate. |
| Practice contest | Unlimited | N/A | Free, no prize, learning the squad-builder. |
From signup to first contest in 11 minutes
The complete path from new-reader to first-contest-entry, with realistic timing on each step.
Sign up (1 min)
Mobile number, age confirm, display handle, OTP. Most readers complete sign-up in under 60 seconds.
Download app (1 min)
Android APK is 22MB, installs in under 60 seconds. iOS mobile-web is instant. Both surfaces deliver the same feature set.
Deposit ₹100 (2 min)
UPI / Net Banking / Card. Bonus code LAB100 credits ₹100 bonus on ₹100 deposit. Total playable: ₹200.
Build squad (2 min)
Pick 11 players, captain, vice-captain. Stay within the 100-credit salary cap. Lock before toss.
Enter practice contest (1 min)
Free practice contests let you test your squad without risking money. Win or lose, you keep the squad for future contests.
Enter paid contest (4 min)
Pick a contest tier. ₹3-₹10 for beginners, ₹50-₹500 for weekly contests, ₹1,000+ for mega pools. Lock the squad, pay the entry, track live.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions our research desk fields about this page.Common questions our research desk fields about this page This is why the lab onboarding desk treats it as a baseline.
What's the difference between captain and vice-captain?
Captain (C) earns 2x points on their total. Vice-captain (VC) earns 1.5x. So if your C scores 80 fantasy points, your team gets 160 from them. If your VC scores 50, the team gets 75. The two highest-use picks of your entire squad.
Do I have to pick my own squad?
Yes. The lab publishes research that helps (captain matrix, contest strategy, player-form audit), but the squad itself is your pick. Some platforms offer auto-pick features — the lab doesn't, because the lab doesn't believe in outsourcing the decision to a model you can't audit. The lab's tools help you think, not decide for you.
Can I edit my squad after I lock it?
No. Lock is final for that match. Editing is allowed up until the toss. Most readers edit twice before lock — once after team-news drop (before toss) and once after toss confirmation. The lab's recommended edit pattern is to lock 10-15 minutes before toss for last-minute advantage.
The lab's advanced squad-building principles
Five advanced principles the lab's research team has refined over four IPL seasons — the principles that separate the top 10% of readers from the median.
Principle 01 — Read the venue before the squad
The venue drives the squad more than any other factor. Read the venue database before building the squad — the venue's pitch type, dimensions, and dew factor determine the role split. A spin-friendly venue rewards a spin-heavy bowling attack. A flat track rewards a batting-heavy stack.
Principle 02 — Differential captain only in mega contests
Differential captains win mega contests. They rarely win small leagues or head-to-heads. Pick the captain based on the contest tier — mega contests reward differential picks, small leagues reward consensus picks, head-to-heads reward form reads.
Principle 03 — Lock before the toss
Lock the squad before the toss. Late lineup news can change the calculus — the lab's Wednesday re-test covers late news. Last-minute swaps cost a small transfer fee in some contests. The transfer fee is rarely worth the marginal improvement.
Principle 04 — Track your ROI over 50 contests
The variance dominates the signal below 50 contests. Track ROI over a minimum 50-contest sample. Below 50, the variance can flip a positive ROI into a negative one and vice versa. The lab's research shows that 50 contests is the minimum for a stable ROI estimate.
Principle 05 — Read the weekly retrospective
The lab's weekly retrospective post is the most-read editorial content. The retrospective covers the previous week's hits and misses. The retrospective is a learning tool — it teaches the methodology by example. The lab recommends reading the retrospective every Monday morning.
