Business1 min read

Sachin Tendulkar invests in Hitwicket maker

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Metasports secured an investment from Sachin Tendulkar that combines equity with a nominal cash injection relative to his traditional commercial rates. Under the agreement, Tendulkar's likeness and tactical insights will be embedded into the multiplayer strategy title to guide user gameplay. The game has already achieved 20 million downloads across 120 countries, with players averaging 51 minutes of daily engagement. Metasports now plans to expand beyond in-app purchases by introducing subscriptions and exploring generative AI commentary.

Key points

  • The partnership with a renowned sports icon is aimed at scaling Hitwicket's user base tow…: The partnership with a renowned sports icon is aimed at scaling Hitwicket's user base toward 100 million downloads.
  • Hitwicket has demonstrated strong player engagement worldwide, with daily sessions averag…: Hitwicket has demonstrated strong player engagement worldwide, with daily sessions averaging 51 minutes per user.
  • Future monetization and product plans include introducing recurring subscriptions and imp…: Future monetization and product plans include introducing recurring subscriptions and implementing generative artificial intelligence for real-time commentary.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The financial details of the investment, including the valuation, have not been disclosed due to financial confidentiality agreements.

Sources familiar with the deal said the investment component was nominal relative to Tendulkar's endorsement fees, with the broader association involving a combination of cash and equity.

Tendulkar's likeness will be incorporated into Hitwicket as a playable character. The company also plans to use his cricketing insights to explain strategies to players within the game.

Hitwicket has recorded 20 million downloads across more than 120 countries. Metasports aims to reach 100 million downloads over the next three years. The company said the game's revenue doubled over the past six months.

Hitwicket allows users to manage a virtual cricket team as its owner, coach and captain. Its gameplay centres on tactical decisions such as planning a chase, deciding when to attack or defend, and choosing which bowlers to target.

“Hitwicket stood out to me for how it brings the strategic thinking behind cricket into the game,” Tendulkar said in a statement.

Reddy said Hitwicket's players spend an average of 51 minutes a day…

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