Wasfi Bilal wins silver as India bags historic medal at BRICS Esports Championship in Moscow

New Delhi, Nov 11 In a memorable moment for esports in the country, Wasfi Bilal, who goes by the user name “YoshiKiller”, secured a historic silver medal for India in the BRICS Esports Championship for Tekken 8, held at the VK Arena in Moscow, Russia. Competing against elite players from Brazil, Russia, South Africa, China, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, YoshiKiller finished second in the overall standings behind China's XCC and grabbed a place on the podium in the two-day competition held on November 9 and 10.

India emerged as the best team in the competition as Shubham Khorwal, who goes by the user name “Shubham”, also made an impressive debut, finishing in fourth place as the country had two competitors in the top five.

YoshiKiller raced off to a dream start by claiming first place in Group A in the preliminary stage. Meanwhile, Shubham took second in Group B, resulting in both players advancing into the Top 8 alongside leading competitors from China, Russia, UAE, and Brazil.

Undeterred by the strong field, the Indian athletes powered through to the semifinals, with YoshiKiller defeating Russia's Higem 4:2 and Shubham shutting out China’s Ayu 4:0. Consequently, for the first time in history, two Indians reached the quarterfinals and semifinals of any international esports championship.

In the semifinals, YoshiKiller clinched a thrilling 4:3 victory against UAE’s RenZoken, earning his place in the final. Although Shubham fell to China’s defending champion XCC in a close match 4:2, he fought valiantly, finishing in fourth place after the bronze match against RenZoken. In the championship final, YoshiKiller faced XCC in a hard-fought battle, ultimately taking the silver.

Speaking of his performance, a delighted YoshiKiller said: "I’m incredibly proud to have represented India on the international stage at the BRICS Esports Championship. The competition was intense, with top players from around the world, so earning a silver medal for India in my first international tournament was a huge achievement. I’m more motivated than ever to make my country proud in future esports competitions."

Shubham on being placed fourth, reflected proudly: "Competing in my first international tournament and representing India at such a high level was a true honour. I’m incredibly proud to have placed fourth and am excited for more opportunities to compete in events like this in the future."

Commenting on the team’s exemplary performance Lokesh Suji (Director – ESFI) said: "From the bronze at the Asian Games in 2018 to another bronze at the Commonwealth Esports Championship in 2022, and now the silver at the BRICS Esports Championship in 2024, India’s talent and achievements in esports continue to shine on the global stage. We are confident that gold is within reach. Both players demonstrated extraordinary discipline and commitment to the sport, from the NESC qualifiers all the way through to the championship here in Moscow. Full credit goes to their hard work, camaraderie, and unwavering sportsmanship."

In addition to the medals, players were awarded prize money for their achievements. The champion received 650,000₽ (approximately Rs 5.6 lakh), while the runner-up, YoshiKiller, earned 300,000₽ (around Rs 2.5 lakh). Shubham, who placed fourth, was awarded 75,000₽ (approximately Rs 65,000).

Final standings for Tekken 8 at BRICS Esports Championship:

Gold: XCC (China)

Silver: YoshiKiller (India)

Bronze: RenZoken (UAE)

Fourth Place: Shubham (India).