Malaysia once again proved why their region is a force to be reckoned with.
They toppled the defending champions SIBOL from the Philippines to win the IESF 2024 World Esports Championship MLBB title in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, sweeping the defending champions in the grand final, 2-0.
The victory marks a historic moment for the country and region. This is their second international title after winning the Midseason Cup 2024 (MSC 2024) last July.
With the win, they take home the lion’s share of the $160,000 prize pool.
Malaysia sweeps SIBOL to claim IESF 2024 World Esports Championship MLBB trophy
Malaysia entered the playoffs with confidence, defeating Turkey in the quarterfinals before edging past Indonesia, a perennial MLBB powerhouse, in a thrilling 2-1 semifinal victory.
Their win set the stage for an epic clash against SIBOL, the 2023 champions, who swept past Argentina and silenced the home crowd by defeating Saudi Arabia.
The grand final promised fireworks, and Malaysia delivered, taking down the Filipino juggernaut in a commanding 2-0 sweep.
The opening game was a nail-biter, with both teams trading kills and map pressure throughout the early and mid-game. Malaysia’s lineup, anchored by Muhammad Haqqullah “Sekys” Ahmad Shahrul Zaman on Alpha and Ilman “Gojes” Zulkifli on Hylos, showcased impeccable synergy in team fights.
Their front-to-back composition allowed them to secure crucial objectives, including the Lord at the 14-minute mark.
Despite Malaysia’s push into SIBOL’s base, Kyle “kyleTzy” Sayson turned the tide with a brilliant map split, forcing Malaysia to defend against a potential sidelane collapse. The defending champions fought back valiantly, clearing their base and taking down four Malaysian players in a thrilling counterplay.
However, Malaysia regained control with a decisive Lord take at the 20th minute, shutting down KyleTzy’s sneaky plays and leaving SIBOL defenseless. The Malaysian Tigers stormed the base and destroyed the enemy crystal in the 22nd minute, sealing game one.
SIBOL came into game two with a vengeance, leveraging KyleTzy’s objective prowess on the Suyou to build an early 2,000 gold lead by the six-minute mark.
But Malaysia’s calm and calculated gameplay shone through as they turned the tide with a critical two-for-none trade in the 10th minute, securing the first Lord of the game.
From that moment, Malaysia seized control, relentlessly pressuring SIBOL across the map. By the 12th minute, Malaysia’s aggression paid off as they crushed SIBOL’s defenses and secured the championship in dominant fashion.
With this flawless performance, Team Malaysia, featuring players from MPL Malaysia Season 14 champions Selangor Red Giants, established themselves as a top contender for the upcoming M6 World Championship which will be played on their home soil this late November.
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