Every fantasy point traces back to something a player actually does on the field: a run scored, a wicket taken, a catch held, or an over bowled tightly. The system does not care about a player's fame, salary, or past reputation. It only rewards what happens in that match, which is why a lesser-known bowler who takes three wickets can outscore a famous batter who makes a quick twenty. Understanding this principle changes how you look at a team sheet, because you stop asking who is the biggest star and start asking who is most likely to perform the actions the system pays for.

Runs are the simplest source of points, with each run worth one point, and boundaries and sixes adding bonus points on top of the runs themselves. A batter who scores fifty off thirty balls therefore earns far more than one who scores fifty off sixty balls, because strike-rate bonuses reward fast scoring in limited-overs cricket. Milestone bonuses for half-centuries and centuries add another layer, so a player who converts starts into big scores is worth more than one who regularly gets out in the thirties. When you compare two batters, look at how often each one passes fifty, not just at their average.

Bowlers earn their biggest points from wickets, with each dismissal worth a large chunk, and extra bonuses for bowling a batter out or trapping them leg before wicket. Three-wicket and five-wicket hauls bring further bonuses, which is why a strike bowler who takes wickets in clusters can single-handedly carry a fantasy team. Economy rate matters too: bowlers who keep runs down earn bonus points, while expensive spells lose points, so a bowler who takes wickets but goes for plenty can end up scoring less than a tidy bowler with two wickets. Maiden overs add a small bonus in T20 cricket, though they are rare enough that you should never pick a bowler just for maiden potential.

Fielding points are easy to overlook but they add up across a whole team. Catches are worth points, stumpings are worth more, and run-outs reward the fielder involved, with a direct hit worth more than an assist. A wicketkeeper who takes two catches and effects a stumping can bank a useful score before even facing a ball, which is part of why keeper-batters are so valuable. Good fielders in catching positions, such as slip or the inner circle, also pick up steady points over a season, even if they never make headlines for it.

The captain earns double points and the vice-captain earns one and a half times, which makes these two choices the most important decisions in your team. A captain who scores eighty fantasy points actually delivers one hundred and sixty to your total, so a wrong captain pick can cost you more than any other single mistake. This multiplier also works in reverse: if your captain gets out for a duck, the negative points for the duck are doubled as well. That is why experienced players put the armband on reliable, high-involvement players rather than on a gamble, and save their risk-taking for the rest of the team.

Negative points deserve attention because they quietly eat into totals. A batter dismissed for a duck loses points, and bowlers with poor economy rates can lose points even on days they take a wicket. These deductions rarely decide a contest on their own, but they explain why a player who looked decent on the scorecard sometimes returns a disappointing fantasy score. Before finalising a team, check the scoring rules for the specific contest format you are playing, since T20, ODI and Test scoring differ in details like economy thresholds and milestone bonuses. Knowing the rules is free, and it is the cheapest edge in fantasy cricket.