New to Cricket? Start here.

Never watched a full match? No problem. This page explains cricket and our player props in plain English — every term is defined, no insider lingo. Read it once and the rest of the site will make sense.

The 60-second version of cricket

Two teams take turns. One team bats (tries to score runs) while the other bowls and fields (tries to get the batters out). After the batting team's turn ends, the teams swap. The side with the most runs at the end wins. Most of the matches we cover are the short, fast format — roughly three hours, lots of big hitting — which is where the player props get fun.

Innings: One team's full turn at batting. (In the short format each team usually gets one innings.) It lasts until 10 batters are out or the team's overs run out.
Over: A set of 6 deliveries (balls) bowled in a row. A short-format innings is 20 overs, so 120 balls total. After each over a different bowler comes on from the other end.
Wicket: Getting a batter out. When a team loses a wicket, that batter is done and the next one comes in. A team has 10 wickets to lose before its innings ends. "Taking a wicket" is the bowler's biggest reward.
Boundary: When the ball is hit all the way to the edge (or out) of the field. Boundaries are the big scoring shots.
Four: A boundary where the ball rolls or bounces to the edge — worth 4 runs.
Six: A boundary hit clean over the rope on the full — worth 6 runs. The biggest single shot in the game.
Batter: A player whose job is to score runs. Two batters are out there at once; they run back and forth to score.
Bowler: A player whose job is to deliver the ball and get batters out. Good bowlers limit runs and take wickets.
Strike rate (batter): How fast a batter scores: runs per 100 balls faced. A high strike rate means an aggressive, boundary-hitting player.

The three phases of an innings

Scoring isn't steady — it speeds up and slows down at predictable points, which is why we split a player's numbers by phase:

Powerplay (the opening overs): Early on, fielding restrictions keep most fielders close in, so big hitters tee off. High-scoring, high-boundary territory.
Middle overs: Fielders spread out and scoring settles down as batters build a platform. Steadier, fewer boundaries.
Death overs (the final overs): The closing stretch where batters swing for the fences to pile on runs. Boundaries and wickets both spike.

The prop markets we post

A "prop" is a bet on one player's stat in one match — does their number land over or under a posted line? Here are the markets you'll see (whichever ones are offered for today's games):

Runs

How many runs a batter scores in the match. The headline batting number.

1st Inning Runs

Runs a batter scores during the first innings of the match (their team's batting turn if they bat first). A shorter window than full-match runs, so the line is lower.

Fours

How many 4-run boundaries a batter hits.

Sixes

How many 6-run boundaries (the big over-the-edge shots) a batter hits.

Wickets

How many batters a bowler gets out. The headline bowling number.

Fantasy Score

A single combined points number from a player's batting and bowling — the all-around stat that daily-fantasy sites use.

How to read the Board

The Board lists every prop we have a read on. Each row is one player's prop. Here's what every column means:

PlayerThe player and which match they're in. Click the name for their full breakdown.

PickThe market, the line, and our lean — e.g. OVER Sixes 1.5 means we like that player to hit 2 or more sixes.

ProjProjection — the number we actually expect the player to post. Compare it to the line to see why we lean over or under.

EdgeHow much our projection beats the posted line, as a percentage. Bigger edge = bigger disagreement in your favor. It's an estimate, not a guarantee.

ConfConfidence tier — our conviction at a glance: Elite (strongest), Strong, Lean, Pass (we'd sit this one out).

L10 hitLast-10 hit rate — how many of the player's last 10 matches would have hit this side of the line. A quick form check, not a prediction.

The ★ star. A star next to a pick means the line carries an adjusted payout — a discounted line (easier to hit but pays less) or a boosted line (harder to hit but pays more). It's just a flag that the price is non-standard, so factor that into your slip.

Slips: Power vs Flex

Most plays are a slip — you combine two or more props into one entry, and the payout grows with the number of legs. There are two styles:

Power slip

Pays more, but every leg must hit. One miss and the whole slip loses. Higher risk, higher reward.

Flex slip

Pays less per win, but still returns something if one leg misses. Safer, smoother. Good for newcomers.

Our Slips page builds the day's best Power and Flex combinations for you, with a recommended stake so the sizing stays sensible.

See today's Board → How we build picks

The Cricket King is for entertainment and informational purposes only. 21+. If gambling is no longer fun, it's time to stop — please play responsibly.