eNews
Cricket Australia app gets genAI lift courtesy HCLTech and Microsoft
MUMBAI: Global technology leaders HCLTech and Microsoft have partnered with Cricket Australia to leverage generative AI (GenAI) to transform the live match experience for cricket fans through the Cricket Australia Live app.
The app’s new AI Insights matchday companion delivers a continuous stream of text-based updates during matches. Using advanced AI with a deep understanding of cricket, the feature highlights key narratives, player performances, and significant milestones, providing insights that extend beyond live scores and commentary.
The AI Insights feature launched on 31 January during the day-night test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as part of the CommBank Women’s Ashes series between Australia and England. This innovation is now available to all users of the Cricket Australia Live app worldwide.
“By harnessing the power of generative AI, we can reimagine how fans engage with sport,” said HCLTech executive vice president and country manager for Australia and New ZealandSonia Eland. “We’ve partnered with Cricket Australia for several years as their official digital technology partner, and this collaboration with Microsoft will further enhance the digital experience, bringing fans closer to the action.”
Cricket Australia utilised Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Service alongside HCLTech’s front-end and API development expertise to create the AI companion.
“We’re delighted to bring cutting-edge AI technology to cricket fans through our partnership with Cricket Australia and HCLTech,” said Microsoft Australia and New Zealand CTO Sarah Carney “This innovation shows how generative AI can transform interactions, providing personalised insights and deeper meaning for audiences.”
HCLTech first partnered with Cricket Australia in 2019 to modernise its core API platforms. In 2023, the partnership was extended for another five years. Key initiatives have included TechJam, a crowdsourcing effort to develop innovative solutions for the sport, and ongoing improvements that have made Cricket Australia Live the leading sports app in Australia.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with HCLTech and Microsoft to deliver brilliant experiences for our fans,” said Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley. “Our goal is to lead the world in using digital technologies to bring fans closer to the game, and this latest innovation is a step forward in that journey.”
eNews
PNB partners Kiwi to launch credit-enabled UPI for users
Targets 180 million customers; RuPay card offers 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent cashback
MUMBAI: Swipe, tap, or scan credit is quietly slipping into the rhythm of everyday payments, and Punjab National Bank wants in on the action. The state-run lender has partnered with Kiwi to roll out credit-enabled UPI payments for its 180 million customers, marking a significant push to blend traditional banking with India’s fast-evolving digital payments ecosystem.
At the centre of the collaboration is the launch of the PNB Kiwi Credit Card on the RuPay network. The card is designed with a digital-first approach, offering fully online onboarding and seamless integration with UPI, allowing users to transact via scan-and-pay while accessing credit.
The offering also brings in a rewards layer, with cashback ranging from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent on online transactions, positioning the product as both a convenience play and a spending incentive.
The move comes as UPI continues to dominate India’s digital payments landscape, increasingly blurring the lines between debit-led transactions and credit access. For PNB, which operates over 10,000 branches around 60 per cent in semi-urban and rural areas, the partnership signals a targeted effort to extend formal credit to segments that have traditionally remained underserved.
The collaboration also reflects a broader industry shift, where banks and fintech platforms are converging to embed credit directly into payment flows, reducing friction while expanding access.
With RuPay credit cards gaining traction and UPI evolving beyond peer-to-peer transfers, the PNB–Kiwi tie-up positions both players at the intersection of scale, accessibility, and the next phase of digital finance in India.
