The investment supports Metasports Interactive’s plans to expand Hitwicket, which reports over 20 million players globally, as the cricket strategy game targets 100 million downloads within three years following user acquisition funding from London-based Metica.
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Sachin Tendulkar has become a strategic investor in Metasports Interactive, the mobile sports gaming company behind cricket strategy title Hitwicket. Announcing the association on November 3, the company said it aims to reach 100 million downloads for the game within the next three years.
The financial terms of Tendulkar’s investment were not disclosed. The association also includes his presence across Hitwicket’s in-game experiences, content and brand activations.
Founded by Kashyap Reddy and Keerti Singh, Metasports Interactive launched Hitwicket in 2020. According to the company, the game has attracted more than 20 million players across over 120 countries, with revenue doubling during the past six months. It reported average daily engagement of 51 minutes per player.
Cricket strategy shapes the association
Hitwicket is a competitive multiplayer game centred on tactical choices and cricketing decision-making. The company said this approach influenced Tendulkar’s decision to invest.
Commenting on the association, Tendulkar said, “Hitwicket stood out to me for how it brings the strategic thinking behind cricket into the game. Cricket has always involved reading the bowler, assessing the field and deciding the right approach for every ball. Hitwicket captures that decision-making, going beyond reflexes to recreate how a cricketer thinks in the middle. The game translates that strategic dimension into an engaging experience for players. I enjoyed playing the game, believe in what the team is building, and that makes the association feel natural.”
Kashyap Reddy, Co-Founder and CEO, Metasports Interactive, said discussions with Tendulkar were helping the company incorporate insights into how professional cricketers approach decisions on the field.
“Hitwicket has built a distinct proposition in cricket gaming by making strategic decision-making central to the experience, and Sachin Tendulkar recognised this unique difference. Interacting with Sachin Tendulkar is helping us understand how elite cricketers think on the field and further improve the game engagement. Our 20 million players, spending 51 minutes per day in the game, demonstrate the engagement this approach can drive. Tendulkar’s belief in what we’ve built, together with the growth capital behind us, lets us take cricket strategy to every cricket fan in the world,” Reddy said.
Expansion follows user acquisition funding
The investment follows $20 million in user acquisition funding from London-based Metica in April 2026. According to Metasports, Metica’s funding decision reflected Hitwicket’s monetisation performance, player retention and the quality of its user acquisition data.
Metasports said more than 97% of Hitwicket’s revenue comes from in-app purchases across Indian and international markets. Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle is also among the startup’s backers.
The company plans to expand its international audience while developing competitive mobile sports games. Its target of 100 million downloads represents a future milestone, distinct from the current player base reported by the company.
