SYDNEY and NOIDA, India, Jan 31, 2025 — Leading global technology companies, HCLTech and Microsoft, have partnered with Cricket Australia (CA) to leverage generative AI (GenAI) to enhance the way fans experience live matches via the Cricket Australia Live app.
The app’s new AI Insights matchday companion feature provides fans with a regular feed of text-based updates as matches progress. The feature uses AI rooted in a deep understanding of cricket to identify key narratives, player performances and notable milestones that go beyond the live scores and commentary, giving new context and insight to what is happening on the field.
The AI Insights matchday companion launches today at the Day-Night Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the CommBank Women's Ashes series between Australia and England. This innovative feature is now accessible to all users of the Cricket Australia Live App worldwide.
“By harnessing the power of GenAI, we have the ability to reimagine the way fans engage with sport,” said Sonia Eland, Executive Vice President and Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand, HCLTech. “HCLTech has partnered with Cricket Australia for several years through our long-term role as the sport’s Official Digital Technology Partner, but our collaboration with Microsoft will further enhance the digital experience. Ultimately, our goal is to bring cricket fans even closer to the action.”
Cricket Australia has leveraged Microsoft’s Azure Open AI Service as well as HCLTech’s front-end and API development support to create a more accessible match day AI companion for cricket fans.
“We’re excited to bring cutting-edge AI technology to cricket fans through our partnership with Cricket Australia and HCLTech,” said Sarah Carney, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand. “This innovation demonstrates how generative AI is transforming the way we interact with the world around us, bringing insight, meaning and personalisation to audiences old and new.”
HCLTech and Cricket Australia began working together in 2019 to transform the organization’s core API platforms. In 2023, they extended the partnership for another five years, with HCLTech continuing its role as the CA’s Official Digital Technology Partner. The multi-year partnership has included initiatives like TechJam, a crowdsourcing effort to develop innovative tech solutions for the sport, as well as HCLTech’s role in making Cricket Australia Live the number one sporting app in Australia.
"We are very excited to partner with both HCLTech and Microsoft to create brilliant experiences for our fans by enhancing the CA Live app,” said Nick Hockley, CEO, Cricket Australia. "Our aspiration is to be a world leader in the way sporting codes bring fans closer to the game through digital technologies and we’re thrilled to launch this latest innovation at the CommBank Women's Ashes Day-Night Test.”
learn more about the partnership: https://news.microsoft.com/source/asia/features/from-grassroots-to-elite-how-cricket-australia-is-scoring-better-digital-experiences-with-ai-and-cloud-technology/
About HCLTech
HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 220,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending December 2024 totaled $13.8 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) creates platforms and tools powered by AI to deliver innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers. The technology company is committed to making AI available broadly and doing so responsibly, with a mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.
About Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia (CA) is the national governing body for the game of cricket in Australia. Australian Cricket is administered by CA and its members, the six state and two territory associations. Cricket is Australia’s one true national sport with a men’s and women’s team that capture the nation every summer along with two of the biggest domestic competitions in the country – the Weber WBBL and KFC BBL. At an international level, CA was a foundation member of cricket’s world governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), and is one of 12 ICC full members.
For further details, please contact:
Meredith Bucaro, Americas
meredith-bucaro@hcltech.com
Elka Ghudial, EMEA
elka.ghudial@hcltech.com
James Galvin, ANZ
james.galvin@hcltech.com
Nitin Shukla, India
Nitin-Shukla@hcltech.com