T20 Fantasy Cricket Top Picks

By: Moses Abaortae

  |   September 20th, 2012   |  

Uncategorized

Part 1: Cricinfo’s Fantasy League is up and running and Wishfree is here to help you choose the players most likely to perform on the pitch and therefore in your respective league.

The rules for scoring in the fantasy league are simple. In fact, managers will see their players pick up points for just about everything; this includes catches, wickets, runs and special milestones add bonuses such as reaching a certain number of runs, exceeding a certain strike rate and taking a certain number of wickets.

Those who are familiar with the points system used in the Fantasy Premier League (for football) should expect scoring in the hundreds an average.

However, there are certain players that can earn points in a number of ways, instead of their speciality and it is these players that we will highlight in our list. It should be noted that there will be surprises and failures as well but overall, the players below and in the next few parts will light up the game if they perform at the levels that have made them the superstars they are.

Shahid Afridi – All Rounder – Pakistan

Pros: Afridi has the mentality and the experience that is tailor made for the shortest format of the game. If he fails with the bat then one can expect him to make up for it with the ball. He prowess in the field is also a bonus and his strike rate means milestone points shouldn’t be a problem.

At the same time, Pakistan take on two tricky sides in the group stages as both New Zealand and Bangladesh are more than capable of causing an upset. However, Afridi’s experience sets him apart from the rest of the side and gives him an edge over his teammates.

 Cons: Valued at 105,000 the former Pakistan captain is one of the most expensive players on offer. At the same time Afridi has been out of form lately and struggled against India both with the bat and the ball.

There is no doubt that Afridi is risk at the moment but one should see his performance based on the second warm up match between Pakistan and England before making any decisions.

Verdict: having Boom Boom in one’s team is a gamble no doubt, but one that could pay off big time if he performs. Shane Watson is an alternative to Afridi, but one can be forgiven for having both in their side.

Special Tip: it would be wise to include Afridi in one’s team later on, as Pakistan do not play until the later days of the tournament. Keep Australia’s Shane Watson for now and transfer him for Afridi before Pakistan’s match to get the best from both worlds.

Disclaimer: the views and opinions expressed in this article are the writers own and do not reflect the editorial policy of Wishfree.com.