Fantasy Premier League is over for another season, but there’s now a chance to fill the aching void…with cricket.
The ICC Champions Trophy Fantasy League will revolve around the eight-team one-day international competition being held in England and Wales from June 1-18.
The deadline for the initial selection of squads for the game will be June 1 at 10am UK-time.
Full details, including the scoring system, are available via this link, but here’s a quick look at the rules of the game and a pointer to the sides you’ll be picking from.
Selection
Every player has been valued between 2 and 10. You must select 11 players from a budget of 75, ensuring the following team composition criteria is met:
2-5 Batsmen
1-3 Wicket-keepers
1-4 All-rounders
2-5 Bowlers
Once you’ve selected your team, you’ll need to select a Power Player.
Your Power Player scores double points and is therefore crucial to your overall chances. You can make an unlimited number of Power Player changes during the tournament.
Transfers
The ICC Champions Trophy is different from the Cricket World Cup as it’s a much smaller tournament played over a considerably shorter time frame.
As a result, managers will have to make transfers carefully while reacting quickly – thinking on your feet could prove decisive.
Up until the start of the tournament on June 1, you can make unlimited transfers for free.
During the Group Stage, you’ll have a maximum of 20 transfers to use.
The teams have been divided into two groups of four who will play each other in a Round Robin format, with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi-finals. As a result, the Group Stage will consist of a total of 12 matches in which to use those 20 transfers.
Between the end of the Group Stage and the first semi-final, you can make unlimited transfers. Between the first and second semi-finals, you can then make another four transfers.
Before the final, you can again make unlimited transfers.
The transfer deadline is 30 minutes before the scheduled start of a match. Transfers made after this time will not become active until the following match.
Unused transfers will not roll over.
The Teams And Their Stars
Let’s have a quick look at the teams and their key players.
Group A
Australia
The World Cup winners come into the tournament after a good season for some of their players in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).
Key players: David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Chris Lynn.
Bangladesh
Once the minnows of international cricket, Bangladesh have come a long way since then, but it’s going to be tough for them to reach the knock-out stages.
Key Players: Tamim Iqbal, Shaqib AL Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman.
England
The hosts are one of the favorites to win this time. The squad looks well-balanced in all aspects and the home conditions are an added advantage.
Key Players: Alex Hales, Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Chris Woakes.
New Zealand
The Black Caps have always have a decent record in ICC tournaments and could be set for another excellent campaign.
Key players: Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, James Neesham and Mitchell Santner.
Group B
India
The defending champions go into the tournament with a squad that’s almost there, but a lack of a quality all-rounder and no recent international one-day cricket could affect them.
Key Players: Virat Kohli, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, R.Ashwin, Ahinkya Rahane.
Pakistan
The most unpredictable team when it comes to big tournaments. They possess some of the most experienced players but blow hot and cold – occasionally in the same match.
Key players: Azhar Ali, Mohammed Aamir, Mohammed Hafeez and Wahab Riaz.
Sri Lanka
The retirement of some world-class senior players has left a big void in the team, which is yet to be filled.
Key Players: Angelo Matthews, Lasith Malinga, Thisara Pereira and Dinesh Chandimal.
South Africa
Perhaps the unluckiest team in world cricket, that luck (or the lack of it) will again be tested in the only major one-day tournament they’ve ever won.
Key Players: Hashim Amla, AB De Villiers, Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada.
The Venues
One of the key aspects in cricket is the pitch, so the venue for each match will be important.
The tournament will be spread across three grounds – Cardiff, Edgbaston and The Oval.
It is highly advisable to consider the pitch and weather reports at those venues before making your team selections.
Happy playing!
