Sachin Tendulkar Backs Hitwicket Parent Metasports

Former cricket star Sachin Tendulkar has lent his support to Metasports Interactive, the gaming company behind the popular mobile cricket strategy game Hitwicket. Specific investment details, including the amount raised and the company's valuation, have not been disclosed. Tendulkar will continue to appear in the game's in-game content and promotional activities.

This marks the second time a notable cricket figure has backed the startup, following Harsha Bhogle's undisclosed investment in 2024. In total, Hitwicket has secured over $23 million since it began operations six years ago. The company's most recent funding round saw $20 million from London-based Metica, which will also provide guidance on monetizing the app through advertising and in-app purchases.

Founded by Kashyap Reddy and Keerti Singh, Hitwicket is a strategic, multiplayer cricket game for smartphones and tablets. It enables players to assume the roles of team owners, coaches, and captains. Metasports' CEO Kashyap Reddy believes Tendulkar's endorsement highlights the game's unique focus on strategic decision-making. The startup currently boasts a global player base of 20 million users across 120 countries, with an average daily engagement of 51 minutes per user.

Hitwicket aims to expand its user base to 100 million within the next three years. The company reports a 100% increase in revenue over the past six months, with the majority of its earnings coming from in-app purchases. Notably, this move comes as Bengaluru-based competitor LightFury Games prepares to launch its own mobile cricket game, eCricket, in a closed beta phase.

LightFury has secured $11 million in pre-Series A funding and has partnered with renowned cricketers such as Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya to use their likenesses in the game. India is home to approximately 511 million gamers, and the country's gaming industry revenue grew by 14.8% year-over-year, reaching over $1 billion in 2025, according to Niko Partners.

As digital adoption grows, Indian gamers are exploring a wider range of gaming genres beyond battle royale and casual games.