Marking a proud moment for Indian esports, Wasfi “YoshiKiller” Bilal captured a silver medal in Tekken 8 at the BRICS Esports Championship, held at Moscow’s VK Arena on November 9 and 10. Competing alongside athletes from nations including Brazil, Russia, South Africa, China, and the UAE, Bilal and his teammate Shubham “Shubham” Khorwal made an impressive international debut, securing second and fourth places, respectively.
Bilal excelled from the start, topping Group A in the opening rounds, while Khorwal took first place in Group B. Their strong performances advanced them to the Top 8, where they faced off against top-tier players from China, Russia, the UAE, and Brazil. In the quarterfinals, Bilal defeated Russia’s Higem with a 4-2 score, and Khorwal earned a clean 4-0 victory over China’s Ayu, both moving on to the semifinals.
In a thrilling semifinal, Bilal narrowly overcame UAE’s RenZoken with a 4-3 win, securing his spot in the final. Though Khorwal faced a narrow 4-2 defeat against China’s XCC in his semifinal, he finished fourth after battling RenZoken in the bronze match. In the championship face-off, Bilal went head-to-head with defending champion XCC, ultimately finishing in second place and taking home the silver.
The tournament awarded prize money to the top finishers. XCC, the champion, received 650,000 Russian Rubles (around Rs 5.6 lakhs), while Bilal earned 300,000 Rubles (approx. Rs 2.5 lakhs) for his silver. Khorwal, finishing fourth, was awarded 75,000 Rubles (around Rs 65,000).
Reflecting on his journey, Bilal shared, “Representing India internationally and winning silver at my first major tournament is a moment I’ll always cherish. Competing against top players pushed me to my limits, and I’m motivated to bring more glory to India in future tournaments.”
Khorwal added, “This experience, representing India on an international platform and placing fourth, has been truly inspiring. I’m eager for future opportunities to compete at this level.”
Lokesh Suji, ESFI director, praised the players’ achievements: “India’s esports journey is scaling new heights, from a bronze at the 2018 Asian Games to another at the 2022 Commonwealth Esports Championship, and now silver at the BRICS Championship. Bilal and Shubham have demonstrated incredible discipline and resilience, and we’re optimistic about clinching gold soon. They deserve full credit for their dedication, teamwork, and sportsmanship.”
Final Standings:
- Gold: XCC (China)
- Silver: YoshiKiller (India)
- Bronze: RenZoken (UAE)
- Fourth place: Shubham (India)
