Gaming
Faf Du Plessis Talks About South African Cricket
Faf du Plessis recently became the first batsman to strike the maiden century in South Africa’s T20 league SA20. In an interview, the skipper talked about the importance of SA20 in South African cricket and how it will change the face of cricket for the SA team. He also discussed the talented players on the team and how they will influence the upcoming South African players.
Starting the conversation with the importance of the ongoing SA T20 tournament and how it can be among the top T20 tournaments globally, Faf du Plessis explained how everyone has been waiting for it for quite some time. He said despite having T20 matches before in South Africa, they were waiting to ‘take it to a new level.’ He explained how now the world can see “more of South Africa.”
The skipper also discussed how the tournament brings together overseas talent and how it will benefit SA cricket.
The Joburg Super Kings captain explained how franchise competitions hold importance in today’s cricket. He said such competitions allow younger players to play against some of the best talents globally, ultimately fast-tracking their learning; making the national team strong.
Being the oldest skipper leading a team in the current SA20, Faf du Plessis is excited about his role. When asked whether he still feels excited about such competition, he said, “yeah, that’s why I am still playing. I’m still enjoying it as much as when I was playing for South Africa, even as much as when I started playing the game. That’s the most important thing. While I still feel that level of enjoyment, I think I can keep it going as long as I want to.”
The skipper also explained how the T20 competitions help the national team to improve and give rise to healthy competition. He said these competitions are a great learning opportunity for white-ball cricketers.
When asked about the key factor in winning the T20s, Faf du Plessis said the game’s tactical side and team formation are prominent. He further said one must understand the conditions on a ‘game-to-game basis’ during franchise competitions, like considering the opposition and structuring the team to win.
The SA batter also plays for IPL (Indian Premier League) and is captain of the Royal Challengers Bangalore team. Sharing insights on his being a major part of IPL’s CSK team for eleven years, Faf du Plessis said SA20 will allow the players to “come to my part of the world and it will be great to link up with them.”
The skipper picked West Indies bowler Alzarri Joseph as the ‘most excited to work with’ on the Joburg Super Kings team. He said, “He (Alzarri Joseph) has got some real raw pace. I am really excited to see what he can do on South African pitches.” The skipper also explained his disappointment in losing Harry Brook, but he is sure the Joburg Super Kings’ talent can cover the loss.
When asked to pick one cricketer from a SA20 opponent team, Faf du Plessis picked Rashid Khan for his experience and ‘leg-spin.’
Gaming
MTG gaming chief Benninghoff joins NODWIN board as esports firm primes for IPO
The Gurugram-based esports firm is pursuing a public listing, has returned to profitability and is growing revenues by 42 per cent
GURUGRAM: NODWIN Gaming is moving fast. The Gurugram-based gaming and esports company has launched a pre-IPO fundraising round, appointed UBS as lead adviser for both the round and a subsequent public listing, and landed a heavyweight board director, all in one go.
The new board member is Arnd Benninghoff, executive vice president of gaming at Stockholm-listed Modern Times Group (MTG), who has overseen the group’s strategic investments and portfolio growth since 2014. He is no stranger to building things: Benninghoff has founded and built fifteen companies, served as chief digital officer at ProSiebenSat.1 Media AG, managing director of SevenVentures, and chief executive of Holtzbrinck eLAB. He began his career as a journalist at Deutsche Presse Agentur and various TV networks, holds a Diplom-Kaufmann in business and administration from the University of Münster, and previously sat on the board of Edgeware AB.
The numbers back the ambition
NODWIN is not pitching a story without substance. The company has returned to EBITDA profitability and posted a 42 per cent year-on-year revenue surge, reaching $58.5m in the first nine months of FY2026. The pre-IPO round will combine a primary issuance to fund global expansion through organic growth and acquisitions, alongside a secondary sale to give existing shareholders some liquidity.
Akshat Rathee, co-founder and managing director of NODWIN Gaming, said Benninghoff understands “the entire lifecycle of the gaming and media ecosystem, from the boots-on-the-ground reality of building startups to the strategic complexity of managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios.”
Benninghoff, for his part, said the company “sits at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and technology, making it one of the most exciting players in the global gaming landscape today.”
A portfolio built for the global south
Founded in 2014 by Rathee and Gautam Virk, NODWIN has quietly assembled one of the more compelling esports portfolios outside the Western hemisphere. Its properties include DreamHack India and Comic Con India, and it recently acquired StarLadder, the Ukraine-based tournament organiser behind premier events in CS:GO and Dota 2. The company also serves as a long-term strategic marketing partner for the Evolution Championship Series (EVO), the world’s most prominent fighting game tournament, helping push it into new geographies.
Its geographic focus spans South Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Backers include Nazara Technologies, KRAFTON, Sony Group Corporation, JetSynthesys, and the founders’ investment vehicle Good Game Investments.
What comes next
With UBS running the books, a board freshly reinforced with European media and gaming expertise, and revenue heading in the right direction, NODWIN is laying the groundwork deliberately. The esports industry has burned investors before with big promises and thin margins. NODWIN’s return to profitability, combined with a real portfolio of owned intellectual properties across gaming, music and youth culture, gives it a more credible runway than most. The IPO clock is now ticking.
