ICC Launches ‘Captain’s Call’ Game on NEAR to Level Up Cricket Fandom During World Cup

Cricket fans are getting a Web3-powered path to engaging with their favorite international sport. NEAR Foundation and the  International Cricket Council (ICC), the global governing body of cricket, just teamed up  to explore different ways of getting fans closer to their favorite teams and players. 

This ICC and NEAR partnership arrives just as the cricket world is watching the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The partnership’s first cricket fan experience, the Captain’s Call gaming app, taps into the NEAR Protocol’s infinite scalability. 

Watch an animated primer below on the gameplay in Captain’s Call.

Level up cricket fandom with Captain’s Call game

In Captain’s Call, ICC’s first app on the NEAR blockchain, cricket fans compete against each other for the chance of winning prizes. Developed by Wincast, Captain’s Call allows fans to strategize around bowling, batting, and fielding actions during live cricket matches.

To play, fans simply navigate to the ICC’s mobile apps or website, click on the Match Centre for the game they intend to watch, and submit their predictions before the match begins. Players then compete for a chance to win prizes, merchandise, and more. 

Beyond Captain’s Call

With NEAR and ICC, Web3 and and sports are on a path of continual innovation. A fan passport is currently in early discussions, which would enable fans to record their actions and memories in a tamper proof way, both on and off chain. Captain’s Call will serve as a template in creating other games that fuses other Web2 and Web3 worlds. 

All of these sporting innovations are possible thanks to the Blockchain Operating System (B.O.S). With its full stack of Web3 tools and easy onboarding, partners like the ICC and others can take advantage of the world’s most highly scalable, community-driven, and secure blockchains that deliver proven, best-in-class performance that can support any kind of Web3 strategy.