IPL 2019 is commencing from 23rd of March 2019 and there is no measure for the excitement levels of the fans. The tournament that is going to last for 45 days is one of the most followed tournaments in India and is the best of all cricket tournaments. IPL is a prestigious tournament that involves Indian players playing together with international players. 8 teams contend in this tournament in a double round robin format. 

The teams are owned by franchises and consists of players from various nations. Since it is the twelfth season of IPL, the teams reached an almost stagnant stage wherein most of the players remain the same. MS Dhoni sticks with Chennai Super Kings, Virat Kohli with Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians with Rohit Sharma, etc. Though the main players stick with certain teams, the rest of the team is what decides the victories of the team. 

Considering the overall strength of the present teams in IPL 2019, we have predicted the 4 best ones that might make it to the playoffs. Check them out. 

Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings has always a special eye in finding great players. Every year the team stood out to be the best and being under the leadership of MS Dhoni, the team always stood stronger. In this year’s IPL too, the team comprises MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Faf Du Plessis, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson, Harbhajan Singh, Lungi Ngidi, etc., all of whom are some of the most talented players in the world. Looking at this list of players, it is only fair that CSK will make it to the playoffs. 

Kolkata Knight Riders

Under the leadership of Dinesh Karthik, KKR is another best team in IPL that has a blend of highly talented players in its team. Players like Andre Russell, Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Carlos Braithwaite, Kuldeep Yadav, Robin Uthappa, etc., can contribute more than enough for the team for it to enter the playoffs. 

Royal Challengers Bangalore

The people’s favorite Royal Challengers Bangalore might also make it to the playoffs this year. RCB is under the leadership of Virat Kohli and this time the team though has not included Gayle in it has some of the top players like Ab De Villiers, Marcus Stoinis, Shimron Hetmeyer, Tim Southee, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Pawan Negi, Mohammad Siraj etc., This team has always relied on one or two top players but this year there is a blend of better players that might take it upon them to take the team forward.

Rajasthan Royals

Rajasthan Royals is another team that always had a great selection of players. This year, players like Steve Smith, Sanju Samson, Jayadev Unadkat, Jofra Archer, Jos Butler, Oshane Thomas, Krishnappa Gowtham, Ben Stokes, etc., are among the RR players and one can easily deduce that this is a strong mix. In the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, if RR stumbles across the right mix early in the series, it might be able to make it to the playoffs this season. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad

It is a tie between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals since both the teams have fantastic players and both have an equal chance of getting into the playoffs. Sunrisers Hyderabad has veteran players like Kane Williamson, David Warner, Martin Guptill, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Johnny Barstow, Billy Stanlake, Mohammad Nabi, Shakib Al Hasan, Rashid Khan, etc., The team is strong and under the leadership of Kane Williamson, it stands an equal chance of getting into playoffs. 

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Fantasy cricket is no newcomer to popularity. It all started in 2001 when a sports channel launched the inventive format amidst great fanfare to do the “impossible” – bring cricket fans closer to the game. The idea not only withstood the test of time but went from strength to strength in subsequent years, doing exactly what it was shaped for. Presently, we have over 60 websites offering fantasy cricket playing opportunities to over 20 million users across every nook and corner of India. Not to mention, the numbers are progressive with each passing day. 

What makes fantasy cricket so lucrative is its format that guarantees an immersive, gripping experience and decent remunerations. The virtual game asks you to step into the shoes of a selector and impress everyone with your cricket wisdom and ability to see beyond the obvious. Simply put, you just log on to a fantasy cricket website, select a playing 11 and anticipate an at-par on-field performance from the selected players. The runs they make, wickets they take or catches, saves and run outs they implement – every action fetches you points.   

The fantasy cricket India website will publish a points tally featuring the winners of the fantasy cricket league at the end of the actual match. If your name figures on top of the list, expect cash rewards, which may be many-many folds of what you pay the website as an entry fee. The long and short of it is, fantasy cricket is a low risk and high return proposition, making it an antithesis of sports betting where returns are good but the risk factor runs deep.  

Fantasy cricket received a shot in the arm when the Indian Premier League (IPL) was unleashed in 2008. IPL and fantasy cricket complemented each other well, opening up a world of opportunities for the everyday fantasy leaguers across India. With fast-paced cricketing action unfolding day in and day out for the entire duration of the IPL, fantasy leaguers had an opportunity to monetize it. Entertainment met earning and the magic happened.  

Brief Overview of the Point System: 

As the 12th IPL season is around the corner and you are considering jumping into the fantasy league IPL bandwagon, understanding the point system is imperative for wise strategies. Read on, as we give you a sneak peek into the point system. However, it’s worth mentioning, cricket is a multi-format game, played as tests, ODIs and T20s and the point system varies with the format. IPL being played in a T20 format, we will be considering only the T20 format here.  

Batting Points: 

• Each run scored by your selected batsman will fetch you one point.

• The Captain will get 2 points for every run.

• The vice-captain gives you 1.5 points for each run. 

• If the batsman scores 25 runs, you get 10 points extra.  

• On scores of 50, 75, 100 and 125, you get 20, 30, 40 and 50 points additionally. 

• A six fetches you 3 points.

• A four is worth 2 points.

• If the batsman goes without scoring, 10 points will be deducted. 

Bowling Points: 

• Every maiden over bowled by your selected bowler is worth 15 points. 

• Each dot ball gives you 1 point.

• For every wicket taken, you are awarded 25 points.

Fielding Points: 

• When any of your team members take a catch, you are entitled to 15 points. 

• A stumping or run out attracts 10 points each. 

Bonus Points: 

• For 3 or more wickets, expect 25 points. 

• Rest assured of 50 points for 5 or more wickets.

• 7 or more wickets guarantee 100 points.

Extra Points:

• 25 points are provided for the Man of the Match in each category.