Read the points system like a recipe, not a verdict.
Scoring is the most common reason two fantasy lineups produce different results on the same match. The desk publishes a reference table you can scan in thirty seconds, with notes on which numbers are platform-agnostic and which vary by operator.
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Why the points system matters more than the player list
The points system is the most stable input in a fantasy match. The player list shifts, the toss shifts, the pitch shifts; the points system is a written document you can read once and reuse. The desk's position is straightforward: a strong lineup on the wrong scoring system will underperform a moderate lineup on the right scoring system. Read the points system before you read the player list, and read the platform's published rules before you read the topic below.
The reference table
The numbers below are an illustrative reference, not a guarantee of a specific operator's rules. Use them to compare formats, not to lock a lineup.
| Action | T20 | ODI | T10 | Test | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Run | +1 | +1 | +1 | +1 | Universal across formats |
| Boundary bonus | +4 | +4 | +4 | +4 | Per four hit |
| Six bonus | +6 | +6 | +6 | +6 | Per six hit |
| 30-run bonus | +4 | +2 | +4 | +2 | Per-format milestone |
| Half-century | +8 | +4 | +8 | +4 | Bonus on milestone |
| Century | +16 | +8 | +16 | +8 | Replaces half-century bonus |
| Wicket (pace) | +25 | +25 | +25 | +16 | Test rewards longer spells |
| Wicket (LBW / bowled) | +8 | +8 | +8 | +8 | Bonus on dismissal type |
| Maiden over | +4 | +2 | +4 | +2 | Format-specific threshold |
| Economy under 5 (T20/ODI) | +6 | +4 | +6 | - | Minimum overs apply |
| Economy under 3 (Test) | - | - | - | +6 | Per-format threshold |
| Catch | +8 | +8 | +8 | +8 | Outfield catch |
| Stumping | +12 | +12 | +12 | +12 | Wicketkeeper bonus |
| Run-out direct hit | +12 | +12 | +12 | +12 | Fielder bonus |
| Run-out assist | +6 | +6 | +6 | +6 | Fielder assist |
| Captain multiplier | 2x | 2x | 2x | 2x | Vice-captain 1.5x |
| Duck (batter) | -2 | -2 | -2 | -4 | Only if batter bats |
| Duck (bowler) | -2 | -2 | -2 | -2 | Only if bowler bowls |
Format-specific math
The same ball, faced by the same player, in a T20 versus an ODI versus a Test is a different asset. In a T20, a top-order bat who faces ten balls in a low-scoring game is a moderate asset: the half-century milestone is unlikely, but a quick 20 with a couple of boundaries can pay well. In an ODI, the same role over the same ten balls is a smaller asset: the milestone is further away, the captain multiplier compounds slowly, and the contest rewards volume of balls faced. In a Test, the same ten balls is barely a sample.
The format also changes the bowler math. A bowler with two wickets in three overs is a different asset in a T20 (where three overs is roughly the powerplay share of the innings) than in an ODI (where three overs is a quarter of the work) than in a Test (where three overs is barely a spell). The points system reflects this: Test scoring rewards longer spells, and T20 scoring rewards the same wickets more aggressively per over.
Worked examples
Worked example 1: a T20 top-order fifty
A top-order bat scores 55 in a T20 with five fours and two sixes. The score: 55 runs at +1 each = +55. Five boundaries at +4 each = +20. Two sixes at +6 each = +12. The half-century milestone = +8. The 30-run milestone = +4. If the player is captain, the multiplier is 2x. Pre-multiplier total: 55 + 20 + 12 + 8 + 4 = 99. As captain: 198.
Worked example 2: a T20 economy spell
A fast bowler finishes with 4 overs, 2 wickets for 18 runs. The spell: 2 wickets at +25 each = +50. Economy under 5 in 4 overs = +6. Three maidens at +4 each = +12. Pre-multiplier: 68. As captain, the spell would be 136. Note that the same 2 for 18 in an ODI with 10 overs and three maidens would pay differently because the format rewards longer spells.
Captain and vice-captain multipliers
The captain and vice-captain multipliers are the single biggest swing on a fantasy leaderboard. The standard 2x and 1.5x ratios assume the captain will produce at the ceiling and the vice-captain at the median. The desk treats the captain pick as a separate decision from the rest of the lineup, with its own risk profile. Read the captaincy matrix for the framework.
How to verify the rules on the platform you play on
The desk's reference table is an editorial tool. The platform's published rules are the source of truth. Before you lock a lineup, open the rules page on the platform you play on, find the points-system section, and confirm at least three of the numbers above. If a number is different, treat the platform's number as correct, and adjust your captaincy profile accordingly.
Numbers change. The methodology for reading the numbers does not.
Pair the points table with the captaincy matrix.
Once you have read the rules, the next decision is who carries the 2x multiplier. The captaincy matrix breaks the choice into ceiling, floor, opportunity, match-up, and ownership risk.
Disclosure: the link above is editorial, not commercial. The desk does not earn a commission for clicking through.
How to read the points system on a slow news day
A slow news day is the day to read the points system. The points system is the most stable input on a fantasy match, and a slow news day is the day the desk recommends reading it carefully. The reading has three steps. First, read the table here and confirm you understand the per-format math. Second, open the rules page on the platform you play on and confirm the per-format math is consistent. Third, write a one-paragraph note on the differences, and re-read the note on the next match. The note is the input the desk recommends, and the input is the difference between a guess and a bet.
How the desk handles a platform that changes its rules mid-season
The desk treats a mid-season rule change as a signal to slow down, not a signal to react. A mid-season rule change is a public document, and the public document is the source of truth. The desk's reading of the change is conservative: read the change, compare the change to the table above, and adjust the captaincy profile accordingly. The desk does not publish a hot take on a mid-season rule change, and the desk does not recommend a specific platform in response to a rule change. The reason is straightforward: a hot take is a guess, and a guess is not the product.
How to read the captain multiplier in a large contest
A large contest is a contest with thousands of entries and a deep leaderboard. The captain multiplier is the single biggest swing in a large contest, and the swing is amplified by the depth of the leaderboard. A high-ceiling captain with a moderate floor often beats a moderate-ceiling captain with a high floor in a large contest, because the top of the leaderboard is the only part that pays, and the top of the leaderboard rewards ceiling. The desk's captaincy matrix is the input the desk recommends for any captain pick, and the matrix is the discipline the desk recommends applying on every match.
How to read the captain multiplier in a small contest
A small contest is a contest with a small number of entries and a high first prize. The captain multiplier in a small contest rewards ceiling, not floor, because the field is volatile and the top of the leaderboard pays the prize. A high-ceiling captain with a moderate floor is the desk's recommended pick in a small contest, and the recommended pick is consistent with the large-contest recommendation. The difference is the contest size, not the captain profile. The desk's position is that the captain profile is the constant, and the contest size is the variable, and the variable is the only input that changes between contests.
How to read the duck rule in a Test match
The duck rule is the rule that deducts points for a batter who is dismissed without scoring. The duck rule is more punitive in a Test than in a T20, because a Test duck is a larger sample of failure. The desk's reading of the duck rule is conservative: a batter with a recent history of ducks is a lower-floor asset, and a lower-floor asset is a higher-risk captain pick. The captaincy matrix is the input the desk recommends applying, and the matrix treats the floor as the primary input. A lower-floor asset is a lower-priority captain, regardless of the ceiling.
How the desk handles a new scoring system
The desk treats a new scoring system as a public document, and the public document is the source of truth. The desk's reading of a new scoring system is conservative: read the system, compare the system to the table above, and write a one-paragraph note on the differences. The note is the input the desk recommends, and the input is the difference between a guess and a bet. The desk does not publish a hot take on a new scoring system, and the desk does not recommend a specific platform in response to a new scoring system. The reason is the same as the mid-season rule change: a hot take is a guess, and a guess is not the product.