As the 15th season of the Indian T20 League is underway, the intense action on the field isn’t the only thing getting Indian cricket fans excited. Current estimates suggest that over 13 crore Indians play at least one fantasy game, with cricket being the sport of choice for most of them. Howzat has been one of the most popular and trusted fantasy platforms in the market for years now. Here, we look at some of the essential facts you need to know before you jump into the world of fantasy XIs and huge cash prizes.
Will I grow old trying to register?
One of the big attractions of Howzat is just how easy it is to get started on the app. Howzat’s easy-to-use interface makes sure that the registration process is straightforward and painless. You can log in with just your mobile number and then you provide some form of ID to validate the account before you withdraw cash winnings.
Is my money safe?
Once the registration process is complete, you need to deposit some funds in your Howzat wallet – a minimum of Rs. 100 – to play cash games. There are multiple ways of doing this. You can use your bank account, a UPI, a credit card or debit card. Whichever instrument you use, the transaction made is completely safe and secure. The same is true of withdrawals, which are credited to the account you choose within minutes. No one else can snoop on your transactions, and the app gives you a comprehensive breakdown of your deposits, winnings and withdrawals.
Do I need to be a cricket expert to play?
This is a common question asked by those joining a fantasy app for the first time. The answer is no. It doesn’t hurt to know a little about cricket and its history, but even if you’re following the Indian T20 League for the first time, a little preparation will help you be competitive in most contests. The Howzat app itself gives you plenty of help, with its match predictions and player profiles. Even while selecting your XI, the app will give you important information, like what percentage of users taking part in the contest have selected a player. There are also dozens of news and specialist cricket websites that will provide whatever additional information you seek.
Does fantasy imitate life?
The answer to this is both yes and no. While fantasy cricket certainly does reflect the action taking place on the field, in many it’s different from it. The scoring system, though it gives extra weightage to certain factors, is largely based on the scorecard. If a player scores a lot of runs, takes a handful of wickets and pouches catches, all of that will reflect on his fantasy score. But in addition to that, his score will take into account the scoring rate, economy rate while bowling, the number of 4s and 6s hit and so on. The biggest difference between the sport you watch and the fantasy game you play obviously lies in being able to select players from both teams for your fantasy XI. If you feel one team has several weak links, you can ignore those players and fill those gaps with those from the other team. That’s a luxury no real cricket team has.
When should I select my XI?
If a match is starting at 7:30 p.m., you certainly don’t want to wait till 7:25 p.m. to start picking your team. At the same time, you don’t want to make your choices too early either. In a long tournament, players will often get injured or they may be rested for the odd game. In these pandemic times, players can even be ruled out because of Covid-19 or exposure to someone infected with it. A safe option is to pick your XI a few hours before the match, once you’ve read up on who is likely to be fit to play. But never leave it at that. The team sheets come out after the toss, half an hour before the start of play. Check your XI after that to make sure everyone you selected is actually playing. Last-minute changes aren’t uncommon, and you won’t win a contest with just 9 or 10 players.
Is there any guideline to pick the right captain?
This is where you really need to trust your instincts. Captaincy of a real cricket team is an honour that isn’t given lightly. Many factors like seniority, career record and temperament come into play for making that choice. When you’re playing on Howzat, all you need to remember is that your captain scores 2x points and your vice-captain 1.5x as other players for the same performance. Your only focus should be on picking those players you feel will fetch you the most points. Seniority and historical records are fairly irrelevant and only the current form matters. Once you’ve chosen your XI, the Howzat app will take you to a page where you have to choose the captain and vice captain. As you make your choice, you can also see what percentage of your fellow fantasy gamers have chosen that player as the captain. But if your instinct tells you that the day’s defining performance is going to come from a player that less than 1 per cent have chosen, go with it. Fantasy cricket, like the sport it’s based on, can be full of surprises.
So, what are you waiting for? Download the howzat fantasy app, register, and get playing. There are unlimited free games for you to work on your selection strategies, and no shortage of big cash contests to test your skills against the best, including World Cup winners like Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, and Harbhajan Singh.
