Aiming for the cup

As IPL fever reaches the halfway mark, three fantasy cricket enthusiasts share tips to win big in the strategy-based game

Taranjot Singh 29, sports manager

Younger players often cost you less credit but perform well. Before every match, I list the top five performers in both teams and pick the best combination. Even if they have lost four out of five matches, a consistent player will give you better credits. Consider the stadium and also see the toss output results of both teams — how they perform if they choose to bat or bowl. Also, check the pitch report.

I choose a must-have big player based on their performance and my intuition. Prodigy players make for a good bet in IPL. I check their form at the local level to understand how well they play. It's important to choose the right captain and vice-captain as you'll lose if they don't perform; so don't let that choice be an afterthought.

Soorya Subramanian 24, risk management professional

I play both, the mega contest and the individual one-on-one games. In the mega contest, I usually have about five teams at play and often, I pick the players who have not performed in the last two to three matches. For example, [Shikhar] Dhawan had not performed well for a long time, but I chose him as the vice-captain for Sunday's match and got 120 points. This usually works for me six out of
10 times.

I check the pitch report and the average scores of the previous matches held in that stadium. Based on the stadium (Sharjah is a small ground and better for batsmen) I choose my players. I read the match report 15 minutes before the match for a final call.

Darshit Shetty 21, student

It's vital to know your stadium and how the players have performed at the venue at previous matches. Underdogs make for a great choice as big players need more credit to be included. Don't just build your team and forget about it; check the last-minute reports and make the final call.

I like to watch the match highlights to make a more informed decision. I love Virender Sehwag's videos on Instagram; these expert videos can help you pick a detail you might have missed out on as a layman.

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