Fantasy IPL 2018: 5 players you must have

It's that time of the year again! IPL 2018 is just around the corner and season 11 of this lucrative T20 tournament promises to be bigger and better than ever!

The Fantasy League adds to the excitement of the tournament by giving you the chance to be a part of the action and experience, by building your own team and squad with the players of your choice. Points are awarded to you based on the on-field performances of the players you have chosen in your fantasy IPL team.

In the build-up to the tournament, let us look at 5 players who must be in your fantasy IPL teams at any cost!

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#1 Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes was the most valuable player at the end of IPL 2017, even at a price tag of Rs. 14.5 crores. He scored 316 runs with a high score of 103*, and took 12 wickets, at a more that respectable economy of 7.18.

The Englishman took five catches in the tournament and was always in the midst of the action, be it batting, bowling or fielding. He will be representing the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2018.

This English powerhouse all-rounder is the kind of player who will most certainly play every single game for the Royals, unless injured. After hitting the jackpot in the IPL players auction for the second time in a row, he will look to justify his price tag by performing well for his team.

After recent controversies off the field, he will be eager to get out there and do well on the field. Be sure to have Ben Stokes in your fantasy teams!

#2 Dwayne Bravo

This man needs no introduction. He is the greatest entertainer on the cricket field, be it with his batting, bowling or quirky dance moves. Dwayne Bravo is always one of the first few names on any team's list.

Back with the Chennai Super Kings this year, the West Indian will look to hit the ground running in IPL 2018. He has played in plenty of T20 leagues around the world and has a fine knowledge of the game.

He is a hard-hitting batsman who can take apart any bowling attack on his day. With the ball in hand, he is a world-class death overs specialist and has won the purple cap two times. He has always been in the top half of the leading wicket-takers list.

Bravo has a safe pair of hands and saves plenty of runs on the field, too. He is sure to fetch you plenty of points in the fantasy league!

#3 Sunil Narine

Sunil Narine is a mystery spinner from Trinidad & Tobago who has become a vital member of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad. Narine bowls wicket to wicket and hardly gives anything away.

Last year, he left everyone shell-shocked when he walked out to open the batting for the Knight Riders. He gave the Knight Riders a strong start at the top of the order by taking on the bowlers and bludgeoning the ball from the word go.

The Caribbean spin king finished the season with a batting strike rate of 172.30 and is currently the joint record holder of the fastest fifty in IPL history as he smashed 50 of 15 balls against RCB last year. It is very likely that Narine will open the batting for KKR even in IPL 2018.

He is a safe fielder and doesn't drop many catches on the field. His four miserly overs of off-spin and his powerful shots at the top of the order will fetch you a big pile of points in the fantasy league!

#4 Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya first came into the limelight in IPL 2015, when he smashed 61 runs off 31 balls for the Mumbai Indians against the Kolkata Knight Riders. After a poor season in IPL 2016, Pandya gave it his all for Mumbai in IPL 2017, smashing the ball to all parts of the Wankhede.

He made his Test debut in July 2017 and is now a regular for India in all three formats of the game. When at his best, he can hit the ball many a mile.

The Baroda all-rounder is very economical with the ball in hand and gets crucial wickets in the middle overs, and is always in the midst of action.

He took 12 catches in the tournament last year and gives it his all on the field. The T20 format is tailor-made for someone like Pandya and you can be sure to reap massive rewards by keeping him in your fantasy IPL teams!

#5 Bhuvaneshwar Kumar

Bhuvaneshwar Kumar has won the purple cap two times in a row!

Bhuvaneshwar Kumar has been the leading wicket-taker in the tournament for two consecutive years! The Sunrisers Hyderabad will only be too glad if he makes it a hat-trick of purple caps at the end of IPL 2018.

Bhuvi is the go-to-man when the team is in desperate need of a wicket. He is incredibly versatile as a bowler, and swings the ball both ways at the beginning of the innings, causing problems for the opening batsmen.

At the fag end of the innings, he deploys his yorkers ball-after-ball, effortlessly and leaves batsmen frustrated. Bhuvi has a safe pair of hands and doesn't drop many catches on the field.