By Pratik Sagar

New Delhi, Apr 30 (IANS): The realm of fantasy games may be virtual, but it is not fantastical. Over the last few years, online fantasy sports games have been a hit as fans feel more connected to the game thanks to them. The knowledge of the game and a pinch of luck helps them not just win, but also hands them bragging rights.

However, things haven't been same the same in last few months due to the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. While the real world has come to a standstill when it comes to sporting events, the virtual world has also suffered.

With no sport being played, fantasy games are doing their best to keep fans involved. In normal circumstances, the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League would be ruling the roost virtually, but according to Myteam11 CEO Vinit Godara they are trying to cope up with the situation in a different manner.

"We don't only depend on cricket. Yes, it does play a significant role in the scheme of things. But I would say we are slowly growing beyond that phase now," Godara told IANS.

"During the lockdown itself we have come up with MyTeam11 Quiz which caters to people of all age groups and even those who don't indulge in fantasy sports can participate in a quiz. We have ensured that we give our users a variety of topics in the quiz which keeps them all the more intrigued.

"We have just launched MyteamRummy. 13-card Rummy is a game originated in India and one of the most sought after online games. The biggest advantage is that it removes the equation of depending on live sport."

He explained that cricket indeed gets a bit more eyeballs than other sports in the country however they aren't just focusing on one sport. The idea is to keep adding different sports to their portfolio in order to keep growing.

"Apart from cricket, we have huge interaction in kabaddi and football, followed by other sports like volleyball, hockey and basketball. We have also added baseball and handball to our portfolio, they are fairly new and the performance is yet to come through," he said.

After its inception, MyTeamXI seem to find the right brand ambassador in former India opener Virender Sehwag. Godara stated Sehwag's flamboyance fits well with their fantasy game and his fanbase just takes it to an altogether different level.

"I think for every brand it is very important to find the right face because when you are starting off people don't recognize you but they recognize the face associated with the brand," he said.

"Sehwag as a name stands for flamboyance, innovation and charisma that blends very well with our brand image. He is a legend in all respects. More importantly, he has a huge appeal in both tier 1 and 2 markets which comprise a significant part of our user base. I believe we couldn't have found a better fit for our brand ambassador."