Dream11 Fantasy Rules: A Complete Guide Before You Pick Your First Team
Before you can use the scoring table strategically, you need to understand how Dream11 fantasy rules work in practice — not just the theory, but the decisions you actually make every match day.
Dream11 is a **closed XI daily fantasy** format. You pick your team before the match starts, lock it in, and cannot change it after that point. The match runs, your selected players earn points, and your total determines your rank. Everything below builds on this foundation.
**The five core fantasy rules on Dream11:**
**Credit system**: You have a fixed budget (typically 100 credits) to build a team of 11 players. Each player has a credit cost based on their recent form and perceived value. Expensive players cost more credits but offer higher ceiling.**Role requirements**: Your 11-player team must include at least 1 wicket-keeper (WK), a minimum number of bowlers (usually 3), all-rounders, and batsmen — exact numbers depend on the match format. You cannot submit a team that violates role minimums.**Captain and Vice-Captain**: You designate one Captain (2x points multiplier) and one Vice-Captain (1.5x points multiplier). Getting this right can swing your total by 80–150 points. See our captain and vice-captain selection guide for a full decision framework. The rest of your team scores at base rate.**Team locking**: Once the match's lock time passes — typically at scheduled start time — your team is frozen. You cannot substitute players, change roles, or switch C/VC after this point. The lock time is match-specific and shown clearly in the app.**Multi-contest entry**: You can enter the same match in multiple contests with different teams. Many serious players enter a primary team (careful, balanced) and a secondary high-risk/high-ceiling team in grand leagues.Understanding these five rules is what separates a first-time Dream11 player from one who knows exactly why their team is built the way it is. The scoring table that follows gives you the exact point values for every action — use it to make informed decisions before every lock.
How Dream11 Cricket Scoring Works
Every real-match action by a player in your team translates into fantasy points. The key distinction from other scoring systems is that Dream11 applies **milestone bonuses** — a batsman scoring a half-century earns significantly more than a batsman who scores 49 runs, even though the base scoring is the same.
Understanding the difference between base points and total points (base + bonus) is the first step to using the scoring system strategically.
T20 Format Scoring Table
Batting Points
|--------|--------|
Bowling Points
|--------|--------|
| Per wicket taken (regular) | +25 |
| Per wicket taken (bonus — 4+ wickets) | +8 |
| Economy rate bonus (per over under 5 runs) | +6 |
| Economy rate bonus (per over 5–5.99 runs) | +4 |
| Economy rate penalty (per over 10–11.99 runs) | -2 |
| Economy rate penalty (per over 12+ runs) | -4 |
Fielding Points
|--------|--------|
| Direct run-out (with throw) | +12 |
| Direct run-out (with catch) | +6 |
| 3rd run-out in one dismissal | +4 |
ODI Format Scoring Table
The ODI scoring system differs from T20 primarily in economy rate thresholds and bonus structures.
Batting Points (ODI)
|--------|--------|
Bowling Points (ODI)
|--------|--------|
| Economy under 2.5 per over | +6 |
| Economy 2.5–3.99 per over | +4 |
| Economy 4–5.99 per over | +2 |
| Economy 10–11.99 per over | -2 |
Test Format Scoring Table
Test cricket scoring is the most complex because matches span multiple innings. The point values reflect the longer format's different pace of scoring.
Batting Points (Test)
|--------|--------|
Bowling Points (Test)
|--------|--------|
The Milestone Bonus System Explained
The milestone bonuses are what separate good Dream11 teams from great ones. Base scoring rewards consistent performance; milestone bonuses reward exceptional performance.
| Milestone | T20 Bonus | ODI Bonus | Test Bonus |
|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Half-century (50+ runs) | +8 | +4 | +2 |
| Century (100+ runs) | +16 | +8 | +8 |
The most impactful bonus is the 4-wicket haul in T20: an extra 16 points on top of the 100 base points for 4 wickets. That is the equivalent of 16 additional runs, earned by a single bowler.
Captain and Vice-Captain Math
All points are multiplied before milestone bonuses are added:
**Captain (2x):** Every base point a Captain earns is doubled. If a batsman scores 60 runs with a half-century milestone:
Base: 60 runs × 2x = 120Half-century bonus: +8**Total: 128 points****Vice-Captain (1.5x):** Same scenario for Vice-Captain:
Base: 60 runs × 1.5x = 90Half-century bonus: +8**Total: 98 points**The 30-point difference between Captain and Vice-Captain on the same performance is why C/VC selection is the highest-leverage decision in any Dream11 contest.
Fielding: The Overlooked Point Source
Fielding points accumulate quickly and are often overlooked by beginners. A player who takes a catch, effects a run-out, and scores 20 runs in the same match earns:
Catch: +8Run-out assist: +620 runs: +20**Total fielding + batting: 34 points**In a close contest, fielding contributions from all-rounders and wicket-keepers are what decide margins.
Economy Rate: Why Bowlers Need Context
Raw economy rate without context is meaningless. A bowler going for 9 runs per over in the death overs is not the same as a bowler going for 9 runs per over in the powerplay.
The economy bonus applies to runs conceded per over, not to total runs. A bowler bowling 4 overs for 36 runs has an economy of 9 — that earns -2 penalty points. The same bowler bowling 4 overs for 20 runs has an economy of 5 — that earns 0 bonus points.
Use context to evaluate bowlers: a bowler with a 9 economy in the death overs has likely taken wickets (each worth 25 points) that more than compensate for the economy penalty. Pitch conditions heavily influence which type of bowler to prioritise — our pitch-reading guide covers how to spot green tops and flat tracks before the toss.
Practical Application: Building Teams Around Scoring
Understanding scoring changes how you value players:
**On flat pitches:** Load top-order batsmen. A century bonus (+16) on a flat track adds massive value. Bowlers on flat pitches still earn from wickets but the economy penalty risk is high.
**On green tops:** Prioritise wicket-takers over economy specialists. A bowler who takes 3 wickets earns 75 points before bonuses. Economy bonuses on green tops are harder to earn.
**In death overs:** Both batsmen and bowlers earn disproportionate points. Six-hitting batters score faster (more runs = more points). Bowlers who bowl tight at the death without taking wickets earn low points. Bowlers who take wickets at the death earn the maximum.
Common Scoring Questions
**Do penalty runs from a no-ball or wide count for fantasy points?**
No. Only runs scored off the bat count towards the batsman's fantasy total. Penalty runs from wides and no-balls are added to the team total but do not credit to any individual player's fantasy score.
**Does a batsman run a bye or leg-bye count towards their fantasy points?**
No. Only runs scored off the bat count. A batsman who scores 40 off 30 balls but runs 5 byes adds 40 fantasy points to their total.
**How are run-outs credited if multiple fielders are involved?**
A direct run-out with a throw credits +12 points to the fielder who took the throw. An indirect run-out (fielder collects and throws, then another fielder takes the bails) credits +6 to both fielders involved.
