Domestic MLBB kings SRG hit international snag in Astana
KUALA LUMPUR: Selangor Red Giants (SRG) may still be Malaysia’s dominant Mobile Legends: Bang Bang team, but their latest international outing showed there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Selangor Red Giants (SRG), Malaysia's reigning Mobile Legends: Bang Bang champions, encountered an international hurdle during the Games of the Future in Astana, Kazakhstan. Despite finishing fourth, they suffered a 2-0 loss to Aurora Gaming in the third-place playoff. Aurora avenged their earlier 2-0 defeat of Malaysia by winning their opening match against SRG.
SRG earned a prize of US$63,000 (RM257,481) but concluded the tournament with two consecutive 2-0 losses, including one against Indonesia's ONIC in the semi-finals.
Their journey to the last four was a step up from their performance at the Mid Season Cup x Esports World Cup in Paris, where SRG's 2024 champions were unexpectedly ousted in the group stage. However, these losses to ONIC and Aurora indicate that SRG is still falling short compared to current international standards. This will pose a challenge ahead of the M8 World Championship in Istanbul in January, where SRG aims to surpass their previous third-place finish.
Before the global stage, attention returns to Malaysia's domestic league, MPL Malaysia Season 18, set to commence on Aug 14. As favorites to secure a sixth consecutive MPL MY title, SRG's domestic prowess is indisputable. Yet, converting this success into international titles remains a significant challenge. Despite the encouragement from Astana, where SRG advanced further than in Paris, the outcomes of their final two matches imply there is still progress to be made.
SRG needs to bolster their consistency, decision-making, and ability to secure wins against top-tier opponents if they aspire to become genuine title contenders at M8. A second MPL MY crown would further solidify their position as Malaysia's top team, but ultimately, success in Istanbul will be the decisive factor in determining whether they have narrowed the gap with the world's elite.
For now, Astana marks a step forward from Paris, but it also serves as a reminder that domestic dominance alone is insufficient to compete at the M8 level.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
