The cricket icon joins the Hyderabad startup as strategic investor and brand ambassador
Sachin Tendulkar is stepping into mobile gaming. The cricket legend has joined Hyderabad-based Metasports Interactive as a strategic investor and brand ambassador for its cricket strategy game, Hitwicket. The financial terms of the investment have not been disclosed.
The tie-up
Per the announcement details you shared, Tendulkar’s role has two parts: he is an investor in the company, and he will be the face of Hitwicket. This is a familiar playbook for him. Kissht, the digital lending platform, announced a long-term partnership with Tendulkar as both a strategic investor and brand ambassador in December 2024. He has also served as brand ambassador for Paytm First Games, promoting fantasy sports such as cricket and kabaddi.
About Metasports Interactive and Hitwicket
Metasports Interactive is a mobile-first competitive sports gaming company building multiplayer experiences for global audiences. Hitwicket, its flagship multiplayer cricket title, launched in 2020. The company was co-founded by Kashyap Reddy and Keerti Singh, and says it has over 18 million users across 109 countries.
On the funding side, it has raised $8 million from Prime Venture Partners and Horizon Ventures, and counts cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle among its backers. More recently, Metasports raised $20 million in user acquisition funding from London-based growth financing firm Metica.
Why this fits
CEO Kashyap Reddy has said the vision is to reach over a billion cricket fans globally and build a world-class gaming business from India. Reaching that audience takes trust and recognition, and few names in cricket carry as much of both as Tendulkar. For a game that has grown through paid user acquisition, a celebrity ambassador could also help lift organic awareness. What to watch next
- Whether Metasports discloses the size or structure of Tendulkar’s investment.
- How Hitwicket uses his association in marketing, such as in-game features or campaigns tied to cricket events.
- Whether the endorsement translates into user growth beyond India, where the company says it already has players in over 100 countries.
Note: I couldn’t find a published report confirming the Tendulkar announcement itself, so the deal details here come from the information you provided. The company background comes from earlier coverage of Metasports. Please check the official press release before publishing.
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