Sachin Tendulkar backs Hitwicket maker Metasports Interactive

Metasports Interactive, the Hyderabad-based maker of cricket strategy game Hitwicket, has brought cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on board as a strategic investor. He will also serve as the game’s brand ambassador.

Financial terms and valuation remain undisclosed. 

Existing backers include venture-capital firms Prime Venture Partners and Singapore’s Horizon Ventures, as well as cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle. 

This development is separate from the $20 million in user-acquisition funding it secured from London-based Metica in April. That earlier, non-dilutive facility was intended to fund marketing and international expansion without giving up equity.

Metasports has not specified how Tendulkar’s investment will be deployed. It aims to reach 100 million downloads within three years. The company claims Hitwicket has more than 20 million users across 120 countries, revenue doubled in the six months before the announcement, and players spend an average of 51 minutes daily on the game. 

According to the company, more than 97% of its revenue comes from in-app purchases, or optional items bought within the game. Its wider ambition is to build mobile sports gaming franchises beyond cricket.

Hitwicket is a multiplayer strategy title that puts tactical decisions ahead of reflexes. Players manage a virtual side and choose how to approach each ball. 

Tendulkar said it captures cricket’s strategic thinking, explaining that “Cricket has always involved reading the bowler, assessing the field and deciding the right approach for every ball.” He will also feature in the game and related content. 

Reddy said Tendulkar’s cricketing knowledge would help the team understand elite players’ decisions and refine gameplay.

India’s gaming market offers a substantial audience, although converting it into globally competitive businesses and original intellectual property remains a challenge. The Game Developer Association of India estimates that the country had 511 million players and $1.04 billion in video-game revenue in 2025. 

Recent funding deals demonstrate investor interest across genres. Bengaluru-based Spill Games raised $10.5 million in October, led by Elevation Capital, while social gaming platform Matiks raised $10 million led by General Catalyst. Cricket-focused LightFury Games also secured $11 million from investors including Blume Ventures, V3 Ventures, MIXI and Times Internet.

Policy is shifting too. The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025, and its rules, effective from May 1, 2026, prohibit online money games while establishing a framework for e-sports and online social games, with user-safety and grievance-redressal requirements. Classification considers factors such as stakes, expected cash winnings and whether rewards can be converted outside a game.