Gaming
META11 Fantasy launches world’s first free-to-play fantasy cricket tournament with AI athletes
Mumbai: Behaviol Pty Ltd, the visionary gaming company behind META11 Fantasy, proudly introduces the world’s inaugural fantasy cricket tournament featuring AI-powered athletes. This groundbreaking event, scheduled to commence on 26 September at 12 PM for 24 hours only, is set to captivate cricket enthusiasts and fantasy sports devotees. Those wanting to play can register and play for free at www.meta11.com.
META11 Fantasy represents a pioneering fusion of advanced technology with the beloved sport of cricket, offering a glimpse into the future of sports entertainment. And you can play for free.
Co-founder and CEO Krishan Deegalla articulated the company’s mission, stating, “For far too long, sports fans have had to pay to be able to participate in and get closer to their favourite sports, including cricket. When we established our campany, our vision was to leverage emerging technologies to create a gaming experience that rewards fans for their passion. With META11 Fantasy, for the first time ever, sports enthusiasts can employ their cricket knowledge to win without any financial commitment.”
META11 Fantasy is not just another entrant in the fantasy sports arena; it’s a transformative solution to the challenges that have long plagued the industry. Recognising the limitations of traditional fantasy games, META11 has engineered a platform that prioritises player well-being and enjoyment. By adopting a free-to-play model and introducing pioneering immersive A.I athletes that adapt and learn dynamically as they play, META11 bridges the gap between reality and the digital world. It accurately predicts game outcomes and crafts intricate narratives for the characters and their virtual realm.
Co-founder Kumar Sangakkara emphasised the inclusivity of META11 Fantasy, stating, “Cricket is evolving, and with META11, we’re creating new opportunities for fans to get intimately involved with the sport. We aim to weave untold fan stories into the very fabric of our platform as fans have been central to our vision since day one.”
On the day of the event, users will be introduced to five AI athletes along with QBOT, the META11 resident quiz master powered by the OmniMind Network. QBOT will actively guide users through the game by posing real-time questions during the matches, delivering an unparalleled live fantasy gaming experience. Players can accumulate points, climb the leaderboard, and stand a chance to win cash prizes from a $100,000 prize pool. Additionally, the points collected on 26 September and beyond will be exchangeable in the future for in-game assets, including your very own AI athlete. META11 is dedicated to ensuring that the free-to-play game is immensely rewarding for all participants.
Ravi Shastri, a prominent supporter of META11, shared his excitement, affirming, “META11’s vision offers fans the unique opportunity to step into the roles of managers and coaches for their favourite AI players. Imagine the game being played by the critics, who must make all the strategic calls. If they falter, they will truly understand the pressure.”
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.
