Predicting a cricket match is a demanding task. In cricket, things could take any path on any given day. You might seem to be winning, but even a mini-event on the field can put your fantasy side down. Prediction is not just about making the right choices but also reducing the possible wrong moves.
However, a single drop-catch or a single mishit from an in-form batsman can change the course of the game and your fantasy contests.
And things only get worse when rain interrupts the game. Firstly, the DLS comes into the act and then the conditions will be nothing similar to what you or the players expect. So, in an extension to following the basics while picking your fantasy team, you should also add specific points to your pickings.
We will discuss few of the important points to follow on the rainy match days below.
Never miss a weather forecast
Read weather forecasts for the match day before picking your team. Your chosen team should be optimised for the conditions the battling teams will undergo. The best possible thing for a cricket fantasy player is to see the team’s line-up before picking their fantasy XI.
So, the first thing to do is to follow a trustable weather forecasting website. And most importantly, wait for the toss (especially on rain-possible games) to pick your winning fantasy side to see how the teams have reacted to the conditions upfront.
Bowlers love overcast conditions
On a rainy or cloudy day, bowlers always get the upper hand. Even on T20s, the format that suits higher scoring rates, we have seen many low-scoring matches. If you pay attention to the team selection, you will know the conditions better by the names selected.
Another important point to note is that, in a rain-shortened game, the bowlers from the defending team will get fewer overs to bowl, thereby less chance of picking wickets. So, pick your bowlers majorly from the first bowling side and your batters from the first-batting side.
Understand the DLS
The DLS method can get highly complex when the match gets interrupted in the middle. So it is crucial to have a basic understanding of how the DLS method works. In most cases, the team batting second will have reduced overs with an altered target; however, they will have 10 wickets in hand. With the reduction of overs, the middle-order batters of the second-batting team will seldom get to bat, so it is wise to pick top-order batters from the chasing team.
However, in Test matches, where there is no DLS, the pitch’s wetness will enhance the pitch’s true nature more towards the bowlers. Also, while picking the batsman, pick someone with a higher temperament who could build on long innings under challenging conditions.
Pick the right players as captains
As the captain of your fantasy team gives you multiplies of the points they fetch, assigning someone who gets ample time to get you points is essential. The lead bowler of the team bowling first would be an ideal choice considering all the points we discussed above.
Also, throw a surprise to your fellow fantasy counterpart by bagging a low probable player as your vice-captain, as the rainy days are the best to gamble with your choices. However, ensure you avoid any fresh talent, as the captains of the team bank on their experienced candidates in harsher conditions.
Related: How to successfully choose captaincy players for your fantasy team?
