{
  "id": 5753602,
  "title": "MLBB superstar Xorn dropped from Malaysia's Asian Games squad",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/05/mlbb-superstar-xorn-dropped-from-malaysias-asian-games-squad",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-05T09:10:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/sports/esports/2026/09/1526259/mlbb-superstar-xorn-dropped-malaysias-asian-games-squad"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Malaysia's Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) superstar Zul Hisham, also known as Xorn, has been dropped from the country's Asian Games squad despite helping the team qualify for the main event. The 26-year-old was originally part of the six-man squad that competed in Singapore in June, where Malaysia finished fifth and secured the last of five Southeast Asian berths. Xorn, who was drafted into the line-up for a crucial tie against Indonesia, helped Malaysia secure a 2-1 victory over the Philippines and Myanmar. However, the team's inconsistency resurfaced in a defeat to Vietnam, ultimately securing them the final qualifying spot. Xorn expressed his disappointment, revealing that he and the other affected players were informed of the replacement through a WhatsApp group message, rather than a face-to-face meeting. He questioned why the initial squad had been selected if the members could be replaced after completing their qualifying mission and urged the replacement players to deliver for Malaysia in Aichi-Nagoya.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}