Every fantasy guide talks about death-overs bowlers, the specialists who bowl the final overs and collect wickets when batters swing wildly. Far fewer guides talk about the other end of the innings: the powerplay, the first six overs of a T20 match when only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. The powerplay is the most dangerous phase for batters and the most rewarding phase for the right bowlers, and the players who strike there are some of the most underpriced picks in fantasy cricket.

The powerplay is point-heavy for a simple reason: batters are forced to attack. With only two fielders outside the circle, the gaps are huge, and openers know they must score quickly while the field is up. That aggression creates wickets. A bowler who swings the new ball or bowls tight lines in the powerplay is bowling to batters who are trying to hit boundaries, and a mistimed shot is a wicket, worth 25 points on Dream11's standard scoring before any bonuses. One powerplay wicket is worth more than an entire economical spell from a bowler who never threatens.

The maths makes the case clearly. A bowler who takes two wickets in the powerplay earns 50 points from wickets alone, plus any dot-ball and economy bonuses, before he has even finished his spell. A bowler who bowls four tidy overs in the middle of the innings and takes one wicket earns half as much. Yet the powerplay bowler often costs fewer credits, because most players build their teams around the famous death bowlers. That price gap is an opportunity, and smart players exploit it every match.

The best powerplay picks are swing bowlers who move the new ball and hit bowlers who rush batters with pace and bounce. Look for bowlers with a strong record in the first six overs specifically, not just a good overall average. Some bowlers are excellent with the new ball and ordinary later, and those are the ones you want. A left-arm seamer who swings the ball back into right-handers is a classic powerplay weapon, and so is a tall fast bowler who extracts bounce on a fresh pitch.

Check the match conditions before you commit. On a green, seaming pitch, powerplay bowlers are gold, and you should pick two of them. On a flat batting track, they are still useful, because batters attack even harder on flat pitches, but the risk of conceding runs is higher, so balance them with a spinner or a middle-overs bowler. Also check whether your bowler actually bowls in the powerplay for his team, because some teams save their best bowler for later. The team sheet and recent matches will tell you, and it is worth the two minutes to check.

The powerplay plan has a real weakness: when it fails, it fails expensively. A bowler who concedes 20 runs in his first over without a wicket has already damaged your score, and if the openers settle, he may not bowl again until much later. That is why you should never pick three powerplay specialists in one team. One or two is the right number, paired with a reliable middle-overs bowler who can steady your score if the early wickets do not come.

The other mistake is picking a powerplay bowler against the wrong opposition. Some openers are famously strong against swing bowling and weak against spin, while others struggle against raw pace. A quick look at the opening pair's recent powerplay record tells you whether your bowler has a genuine matchup or is walking into trouble. Powerplay bowling is a high-reward strategy, and like every high-reward strategy, it works best when you pick your moments instead of using it blindly.

Death bowlers finish matches, but powerplay bowlers often decide them. Pick one or two bowlers who strike with the new ball, check the pitch and the opposition openers, and let the first six overs do the heavy lifting for your fantasy team.