Gaming
Nazara’s WCC brings aboard Abhinav Mukund as Tamil commentator
KOLKATA: World Cricket Championship (WCC), from the house of Nazara Technologies, has touched the 155 million download mark, with addition of 15 million new downloads this year. The mobile gaming company is now looking to reach out to its fans in the vernacular markets, and has brought aboard former team India player Abhinav Mukund as Tamil commentator.
Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden and Indian cricket commentator Aakash Chopra will manage the English and Hindi audience respectively, said the company.
As the Covid crisis staggered the world with lockdowns, and live sports took a hit owing to lockdown restrictions, WCC served as an alternative to authentic cricket experience from the safety of homes. Given the growing user-base, the game aims to further penetrate the regional markets and cater to a larger share of the audience with better access to smartphones and data connectivity.
Next Wave Multimedia CEO and co-founder P R Rajendran said, “With the introduction of professional commentators into the game, the aim is to bring users as close as possible to the actual game of cricket. With the recent suspension of live sports, we would be glad for WCC to bring respite to the cricket fans confined in their homes.”
While Aakash Chopra and Matthew Hayden will add to the realism of the game, Abhinav Mukund will further accelerate the feeling and connect further with the vernacular audience, bridging cultural boundaries. Players would be able to manually switch to the Tamil version of the commentary.
“Cricket is the highest watched sport in the country and undoubtedly transcends language and boundaries with its popularity. Due to the pandemic-induced lockdown, live sport has been in the doldrums but with the realistic cricket experience that WCC provides, cricket entertainment is at the fingertips, albeit in a virtual form. I am excited to bring a Tamil twist for the players and hence expand the game’s periphery,” said cricket commentator Abhinav Mukund.
WCC3 has featured in some prominent esports tournaments in the country including Redbull M.E.O., Skyesports, and LXG WCC tournaments. Being one of the only ‘Made in India’ games to feature in esports tournaments in the country, WCC is looking to make it easier for players and tournament organisers to conduct tournaments on the game with its recently launched esports mode.
The World Cricket Championship series was created by Chennai-based Next Wave Multimedia Pvt. Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies Ltd., a leading India-based diversified gaming and sports media platform. Launched in November 2020, the third installment is the latest in the series. The game has won the Indian Game Developers Conference’s “Studio Game of the Year” award and Google Play Store’s “Users Choice” Award 2020.
Gaming
Roblox appoints Sunil Rao as India managing director to drive growth
Former AWS leader to lead creator ecosystem, partnerships and local strategy
MUMBAI: Roblox has appointed Sunil Rao as managing director for India, as the company looks to deepen its footprint in one of its fastest-growing markets.
Rao, who will join in May, will serve as the senior-most representative for Roblox in India, leading local strategy, partnerships and day-to-day operations. His mandate includes strengthening the platform’s presence, supporting the creator ecosystem and aligning India’s market needs with global priorities.
A key focus area will be nurturing India’s growing community of developers and creators, enabling local studios to leverage Roblox’s tools for scaling and monetisation. Globally, the platform’s creator community earned over $1.5 billion in 2025, underlining the economic potential of user-generated content ecosystems.
“Roblox is at the forefront of enabling a new generation of creators and games. India’s scale, creativity, and entrepreneurial energy present a massive opportunity,” said Rao. “I’m excited to build a vibrant and inclusive ecosystem that empowers developers and creators across the country. Ensuring child safety and aligning closely with India’s regulatory framework will be among my top priorities.”
Welcoming the appointment, Roblox vice president international Zhen Fang said India represents a high-potential market for the company. “Sunil brings deep expertise in building operations across diverse markets, and his passion for community-centric platforms makes him the ideal leader to drive our next chapter of growth in the country.”
Rao brings over two decades of experience across technology platforms, venture capital and developer ecosystems. He was previously part of the leadership team at Amazon Web Services, where he led strategy and corporate business development across Asia-Pacific and Japan. He also served as a partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, working closely with startups and founders.
Earlier in his career, Rao played a key role in building developer ecosystems at Symbian, Nokia and Google, contributing to the growth of major mobile and internet platforms.
With India’s large youth population and rapidly evolving digital landscape, Roblox’s latest leadership move signals a sharper focus on long-term growth, local relevance and creator-led innovation in the market.
