Hitwicket’s 100 million-download ambition, where Sachin Tendulkar fits in

Sachin Tendulkar’s investment in Metasports Interactive comes as the company behind mobile cricket strategy game Hitwicket looks to scale its player base from 20 million to 100 million downloads over the next three years.

The partnership gives the company more than a high-profile brand ambassador. Tendulkar is also expected to contribute his cricketing knowledge to the game’s development, helping Metasports build a more detailed representation of the tactical decisions involved in cricket.

The growth opportunity is significant, but so is the target's scale. Hitwicket has recorded more than 20 million downloads across over 120 countries since its launch in 2020. The company says revenue doubled in the six months before the announcement, while players spend about 51 minutes a day on the platform. Source: The Economic Times, November 3, 2026

Hitwicket in numbers

The platform's current scale offers a snapshot of the business Metasports is looking to expand.

• 20 million downloads: Hitwicket's reported player base across more than 120 countries
• 51 minutes: Average daily time spent by players on the game
• 2x revenue growth: Revenue doubled over the six months before the announcement
• More than 97%: Share of revenue generated through in-app purchases
• 100 million downloads: Metasports' target for Hitwicket over the next three years

The revenue mix is particularly relevant to the company's growth plans. More than 97% of Hitwicket's revenue comes from in-app purchases, while more than half is generated outside India, according to The Economic Times. The UK, Australia, the US and Canada are among its international markets.

The figures suggest that Hitwicket has established an international audience and a monetisation model. Its next challenge is to expand that audience while sustaining engagement and revenue growth.

What Tendulkar brings beyond his name

Tendulkar will feature as a playable character in Hitwicket and appear across its content and brand experiences. More significantly, Metasports intends to use its understanding of the game to improve its tactical and strategic elements.

Hitwicket is built around managing a virtual cricket team, with users making decisions on areas such as setting up a chase, choosing when to attack or defend, and deciding which bowlers to target. The idea is to bring the thinking involved in cricket into a mobile game, rather than focus only on the action of hitting shots.

Speaking to Moneycontrol, CEO Kashyap Reddy said Tendulkar's insights could help the company capture the finer details of how elite cricketers approach the game.

“We have a wide range of users, some of whom go deep into the technicalities of cricket. Being able to capture the mind of a champion within the game would enhance their experience,” Reddy said.

The company is also exploring ways to make Tendulkar's presence more interactive, including the possibility of featuring him as a team mentor or strategist. Such additions could give players access to different aspects of his cricketing career within the game.

For Metasports, the opportunity is to translate Tendulkar's knowledge into features that improve the actual playing experience. His association could also increase visibility and help the platform reach cricket audiences in markets where it is seeking to grow. Whether that visibility converts into sustained player growth will depend on the product itself.

From a cricket game to a mobile sports portfolio

Metasports' ambition extends beyond Hitwicket. The company is exploring games across multiple sports, with CEO Reddy describing its broader goal as building the “equivalent of EA Sports on mobile”.

It expects to begin beta testing its next sports game within six months, according to Moneycontrol. The company believes that its experience in developing multiplayer gameplay and matchmaking for Hitwicket can be applied to other sports.

The expansion also follows a $20 million user-acquisition financing commitment from London-based Metica in April 2026. This funding is intended to support player acquisition and growth, rather than being described as a conventional equity investment.

Tendulkar's financial investment in Metasports is a separate part of the arrangement. The company has not disclosed the investment amount or its valuation. The Economic Times, citing sources familiar with the deal, reported that the investment component was nominal relative to his endorsement fees.

The challenge ahead

The target of 100 million downloads would take Hitwicket well beyond its current base, but downloads alone will not determine the success of the expansion. The company will also need to retain players, sustain in-app purchases and build an audience for any new sports titles it introduces.

Tendulkar's involvement gives Metasports access to cricketing expertise and a globally recognised name. His contribution to game development could help distinguish Hitwicket in a competitive mobile gaming market, while the company's existing international audience provides a base for further expansion.

The next phase will test whether the combination of product development, player engagement and Tendulkar's association can help turn a 20-million-download cricket game into a broader mobile sports gaming business.