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BatFast x Altius Strategic Consulting at HPCA, Dharamshala – Cricket World Cup 2023

Client: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, Dharamshala x Altius Strategic Consulting

Event: 2023 Cricket World Cup

Activation: Step into the shoes of Indian Cricketing Heroes 

Location: Dharamshala, India

The Brief: 

BatFast and Altius Strategic Consulting partnered to deliver a unique, engaging, and technology-driven fan experience for the five games in Dharamshala during the Cricket World Cup 2023.

The Challenge:

In a world where T20 games are drawing more crowds than the longer formats of cricket, organizers faced a challenge to keep fans engaged for almost 9 hours during the Cricket World Cup 2023. It was noted that Indian cricket fans were demanding a better stadium experience from the BCCI – including access to tickets, cleanliness, and overall fan experience. It was identified that fan engagement activities were key to providing fans with a memorable experience of the Cricket World Cup and a strong positive association experience with cricket.

The Process: 

This event marked a first-of-its-kind partnership in the region, bringing BatFast’s fan experiences to India for the first time in 2023. Both BatFast and Altius leveraged their on-ground presence in India to curate the best interactive fan experience.

Both partners conducted multiple site visits to ensure that there was sufficient space, availability of electricity, network, and accessibility to the location. 

Once confirmed, the BatFast simulator was shipped from their Head Office in the UK to Dharamshala. At the same time, a semi-permanent metal cage structure, with netting and Astroturf flooring was procured locally. Finally, a 15m x 5m fully branded marquee tent was commissioned to weather-proof the experience.

The Fan Experience: 

The gameplay on the simulator was customized to deliver six deliveries faced by iconic Indian batsmen in Cricket World Cup History. From Sunil Gavaskar in 1983 to Tendulkar’s battles with Shane Warne and Shoaib Akhtar to modern-day legends like MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma – fans were able to step into the shoes of their cricketing heroes and play real-life scenarios.


A live leaderboard with video replay cameras was attached to the cage to make the experience interactive and create an omnichannel experience where fans could compare their scores post-game and watch videos of their batting performance. This created an experience beyond the stadium for fans. Live leaderboards added an element of competition, excitement, and even a hook towards repeat participation, while video replay cameras gave fans a piece of valuable digital memorabilia of their cricket skills from a World Cup Game.

The Result: 

The activation in Dharamshala was a roaring success for BatFast and Altius Strategic Consulting with over 600 fans playing cricket over a span of 5 days. The experience drew the attention of fans of all backgrounds – from 4-year-old children to monks to 65-year-old grandmothers, everyone had a go. The activation saw vast coverage from local and national press, while also drawing great attention on Social media, with over 100k views on a single video. Overall, it helped both brands create strong positive associations with fans while also accessing their contact information to create further engagement in the future.

Key highlights from the activation include: 

  • Over 600 fans faced the simulator while queueing for as long as 40 minutes on average. 
  • 29% of the players were aged under 16 while 16% of the players were female. While children’s participation in sports is on the decline, female participation in sports in India is low. Activations like this are supporting NGBs in overturning the decline in young participants while boosting the efforts to increase female participation in sports. 
  • Over 6000 balls were delivered across the 5 days, averaging over 200 overs per day
  • Maximum queue times of over 80 minutes during the games and average queue times of 30 minutes 
  • 78% of users shared their contact details, helping us create an omnichannel experience – a key metric for brands who are aiming to not only create a positive brand association but also maintain continued communication with their customers. 
  • 12% of users played more than once 
  • The average time taken per user was 2.5 minutes 
  • Come rain or shine, the simulator was running for all the games amidst the backdrop of the mighty Himalayas 
  • NPS Score – 65% 
  • Average customer rating: 8.8 / 10

Testimonials and Coverage: 

“We brought the BatFast cricket simulator to Dharamshala before the World Cup. The enthusiastic response of fans encouraged us to keep it going for the elimination round games.” -Arun Singh Dhumal, IPL Chairman

Fans were enthusiastic to step into the shoes of Indian cricket heroes amongst family and friends. The experience gave opportunity to those who would not traditionally have a chance to play cricket – from grandparents taking on Shoaib Akhtar in front of their grandchildren to school teachers showing off their batting skills amongst cheering children. It was a powerful tool in creating memories for fans.

Print coverage:

Digital Coverage:

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