Team Top-G Triumphs in NESC 2023, Secures Spot in GEG 2023 Regional Qualifiers

In a stunning display of teamwork and exceptional gameplay, Team Top-G emerged victorious in the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2023, organized by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI). Their triumph earned them a coveted spot in the regional qualifiers of the Global Esports Games (GEG) 2023.

Team Top-G will now face off against Malaysia and Mongolia in the regional qualifiers as they vie for a place in the global finals set to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Under the adept leadership of Manav Kunte (mnz), the squad, consisting of Krish Gupta (Krish), Khaja Hussain (Pinkman), Ketan Goyal (Evil-ash), Vishal Vernekar (Hbk), and substitute Darshan Bata (A35), secured victory in the best-of-three finals, defeating The Mob by 2-0.

Earlier this year, Team Top-G had represented India in the Asian qualifiers of DOTA 2 for the 15th World Esports Championships.

Expressing his elation, Manav Kunte, Captain of Team Top-G, stated, “Winning the NESC 2023 for the second time this year is a surreal feeling. Securing our spot in the regional qualifiers for GEG23 is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and skill set of every team member. We want to express our gratitude to ESFI for providing the platform for us to represent India on the global stage, and we are determined to make our nation proud.”

The first game of the finals witnessed an intense battle, with both teams closely matched. Team Top-G eventually pulled ahead, winning 51-32. The second game, however, was a one-sided affair, with Top-G dominating The Mob with a score of 24-6 to claim the championship.

Notably, prominent players Vishal and Ketan were part of the historic DOTA 2 team that secured the bronze medal at the Commonwealth Esports Championships in 2022.

The Global Esports Games 2023 (GEG23) is scheduled to occur from December 11 to 16 and will feature four major titles: DOTA 2, Street Fighter, eFootball 2023, and PUBG Mobile. Participants in all categories will be required to be above the age of 18 to ensure a fair and competitive environment.

India will participate in three of the four titles in the Open category, including DOTA 2, eFootball 2023, and Street Fighter 6.

Following the conclusion of the national qualifiers for DOTA 2, the qualifiers for eFootball 2023 and Street Fighter 6 are set to commence on September 9.

The NESC’23 was played in a double-elimination format, with the championship action streamed live on ESFI’s official YouTube and Facebook pages.