Kerala-based Irshad Tamaji emerged as the Fantasy winner of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season, finishing the league stage with an impressive total of 1302 points.

The race for the top spot was intense, with Tamaji securing victory by finishing just 7 points ahead of second-place Munaver Ismail. A dedicated fan of Kerala Blasters FC from Malappuram, Tamaji was overjoyed when he found out he won the grand prize.

“It was a next-level feeling of happiness. I didn’t expect it at all,” says Tamaji, who won a PS5, a gift card worth ₹20,000, a Kerala Blasters FC signed jersey and a copy of EAFC 24.

Tamaji revealed that he was about 70 points behind the leader when his strategic use of the Triple Captain chip on FC Goa’s Noah Sadaoui in Matchweek 21 proved to be a game changer. In a double Matchweek, Sadaoui faced off against Hyderabad FC and Jamshedpur FC, delivering significant points that boosted Tamaji’s score dramatically and helped him climb to the top of the leaderboard.

“In the first half of that match (against Hyderabad FC), Noah didn’t play. I thought it was all over. However, Noah came on in the second half and scored a hat-trick. The second one was against Jamshedpur FC, where he scored a goal and provided an assist. So, in that week, he contributed four goals and one assist. Noah became the player who scored the most points in a single match week. That’s when I took the lead,” he recalled.

Tips for success

Tamaji admitted that he initially lacked a specific strategy but decided to focus on the four best-performing teams in the ISL last season, building his squad predominantly around their players. By closely watching the matches, he gained valuable insights into which players to include in his fantasy team, particularly forwards, wingers, and attacking midfielders.

“I analysed players who played more in attack, those near the box, those who took the most shots, and those who provided assists. This helped me. One player who helped me in this way last year was Nestor (Albiach). He was the best player for his team (NorthEast United) last season. The ideas come from watching the matches, and luck also plays a big part,” he revealed.

According to Tamaji, choosing the right captain each Matchweek is crucial for long-term success. He believes it's best to select players who are less likely to be substituted or rotated, and to focus on players from teams who are expected to dominate their matches.

This season, he found the ISL Fantasy even more challenging due to the spectacular performances of teams like Punjab FC and Jamshedpur FC. For anyone looking to replicate his success from last season, Tamaji highlights the importance of closely watching games.

“Watch all the matches, analyse the players, and understand who the key players are. Also, know the strengths of each team. That is the path to success,” he says.

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Kerala Blasters FC2024-2025