ICC Cricket Mobile Game : ICC Plans Official Cricket Mobile Game to Tap into India’s $3B Gaming Market — Faces Licensing Challenges

ICC Cricket Mobile Game : The International Cricket Council (ICC) is stepping up its digital game—literally. In a bold new move to diversify revenue streams and capitalize on the booming mobile gaming industry, the ICC is planning to launch an official cricket game, marking its first direct entry into the gaming world. But as exciting as this sounds for fans, the road ahead is anything but simple.

ICC Cricket Mobile Game : ICC Set to Launch Official Cricket Game, Aims for Clean Licensing After EA Sports 2007 Setback

A Cricket Game by ICC? Here’s What’s Happening

According to reports from ESPN Cricinfo and others, the ICC’s digital team is preparing to pitch the idea during its board meetings in Harare. The plan is to develop a mobile-first cricket game, with hopes of rolling it out to the global fanbase—particularly in India, where the mobile gaming market is expected to hit $3 billion in 2024.

This comes as part of ICC’s strategic shift, amid concerns over the possible decline in future broadcast rights revenues, once the backbone of cricket’s commercial model.

Throwback to EA Sports Cricket 2007: Why Licensing Matters

If you’ve played EA Sports Cricket 07, you’ll remember how it awkwardly featured some real players, while others had oddly familiar but fake names. That licensing mess was a key reason EA stopped making cricket games altogether.

Now, the ICC wants to avoid repeating that mistake. It’s eyeing clean licensing—including players’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights—to offer fans an authentic experience. But here’s where things get tricky.

The Licensing Puzzle: Boards, Players, and Legal Landmines

🏏 What the ICC Can Control:

• ICC holds temporary NIL rights for teams during its own tournaments.
• That doesn’t cover bilateral series, domestic leagues, or T20 franchises.

🤝 What the ICC Needs:

• Agreements with national boards, especially in India and Pakistan, where there are no formal player associations.
• Deals with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) and Winners Alliance, who now manage player NIL rights in Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa.

🚫 Current Complications:

• Ongoing NIL rights disputes between boards and players in Australia and New Zealand over image use in mobile games.
• IPL franchises have shown resistance to licensing their brand names to the ICC.

Why India’s Mobile Gaming Market Is the Big Prize

India is the largest mobile gaming market in the world by user base, and by 2024, it’s expected to generate over $3 billion in revenue. Cricket-themed games are among the most downloaded in the country.

But here’s the kicker: without Indian players and IPL branding, any cricket game may struggle to gain traction. This makes player and franchise licensing not just important—but absolutely critical.

What the Experts Are Saying

“There are around 100 companies using player likenesses in games without authorisation. The ICC’s move could be a step toward cleaner licensing and fair revenue sharing,” said a source familiar with the negotiations.

“The idea is strong—but without Indian players and franchises, it could fall flat,” said another.

Will the ICC Hit a Six or Get Caught Out?

The ICC’s plan to launch an official cricket game is ambitious, timely, and financially savvy. With mobile gaming surging and broadcast deals plateauing, this pivot makes strategic sense.

But unless the licensing challenges are solved—and key players and franchises come on board—the ICC may struggle to recreate the success of classics like EA Cricket 07 or mobile hits like Real Cricket.

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