Gaming
Cricket.com unveils ‘Asli Fantasy’
Mumbai: Cricket.com, a platform for cricket news, updates, analytics and videos announced the introduction of ‘Asli Fantasy’ to its mobile application. This latest addition brings back the original and highly competitive format of cricket fantasy, promising users an unparalleled experience of their favorite sport.
Responding to a huge demand from its users, Cricket.com is proud to reintroduce the ‘Asli Fantasy’ format, known for its high competitiveness and thrill. In this format, teams are locked in one hour before the commencement of the match, elevating the anticipation and strategic element for participants. ‘Asli Fantasy’ allows users to curate their teams, devise strategies, and play against peers in a competitive environment. Seasoned fantasy players can choose to play from the three contest types – rumble, head to head and winner takes all available on the app. The app also offers a ‘Criclytics Team’ where users can choose from four different fantasy teams generated by Cricket.com’s proprietary AI engine.
“Our decision to reintroduce ‘Asli Fantasy’ stems from the commitment to meet the evolving needs of our users and remaining relevant amidst shifting consumption patterns. With a user-friendly interface, we are excited to see our platform’s foray into another revenue stream.” said SVP- business strategy head digital works Siddharth Sharma.
In conjunction with the launch of ‘Asli Fantasy,’ Cricket.com is unveiling a set of brand films that capture the essence of using one’s skills and knowledge of cricket to make fantasy teams on cricket.com. This film underscores the expertise and passion for cricket integral for success on the fantasy cricket experience offered by Cricket.com. The films went live on major OTT, OLV and social channels.
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.
