Winners Alliance, the commercial partner of the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA), has announced a new licensing agreement with Nextwave Multimedia, a subsidiary of Nazara Technologies and the developer behind the popular World Cricket Championship (WCC) mobile game franchise. Through the partnership, Nextwave will integrate names, images, and likenesses of over 500 WCA-affiliated professional cricketers into its WCC titles. With hundreds of millions of downloads across its six releases, WCC remains one of the most widely played games across platforms.

Players currently incorporated in WCC3 include top international names, with additional athletes set to be introduced in May. The upcoming WCC4, scheduled for release later this year, will also feature stars such as Kagiso Rabada and Heinrich Klaasen from South Africa, Devon Conway and Tim Southee from New Zealand, Joe Root and Jos Buttler from England, Nicholas Pooran and Sunil Narine from West Indies, Rashid Khan from Afghanistan, and David Wiese from Namibia, in addition to players from Australia, Canada, Ireland, Zimbabwe, and the United States.

The agreement enables cricketers that are part of the Winners Alliance group licensing program to generate incremental off-field income and gain wider visibility. It also engages Nextwave Multimedia users, allowing them to play as their favourite cricketers.

“It’s great to see Nextwave Multimedia harness the power of professional cricketers as a collective by obtaining a license for their game,” said Tom Moffat, Chief Executive, WCA. “Professional athletes in other global sports have benefited from large-scale group licensing opportunities like this for decades, and we’re pleased that cricket is starting to move into the modern era in this area. Winners Alliance continues to do great work for cricketers by unlocking new revenue streams, boosting their visibility, and protecting them against any unauthorized use of their rights.”

“Our license with Nextwave Multimedia is a great example of the kinds of long-term, athlete-centric collaborations that Winners Alliance is committed to creating,” said Eric Winston, President, Winners Alliance. “Cricketers, and all professional athletes, should be empowered to maximize their value. Nextwave Multimedia and Nazara Technologies are world-class companies that will unlock new value for cricketers, create new engagement opportunities for fans, and drive more value for the cricket ecosystem as a whole.”

“Integrating over 500 of the world’s top cricketers into WCC marks a significant milestone for us,” said Nitish Mittersain, Founder & CEO of Nazara Technologies. “Our goal has always been to create deeply immersive and authentic sports gaming experiences. Featuring these renowned athletes brings the virtual game closer to reality, offering fans an unprecedented opportunity to engage with the sport—and their cricketing heroes—in a more personal and interactive way.”

Nextwave’s WCC franchise, launched in 2011, has grown to become one of the most downloaded cricket simulation games globally. Nazara Technologies, India’s largest and only public gaming company, acquired Nextwave Multimedia in 2024.

WCC is an officially licensed player product through Winners Alliance. It is not an official product of, or endorsed by, the ICC or any ICC Member unless otherwise prescribed.