In a historic moment for Indian esports, Wasfi “YoshiKiller” Bilal secured a silver medal at the BRICS Esports Championship for Tekken 8, held November 9-10 at the VK Arena in Moscow. Competing against elite players from Brazil, Russia, South Africa, China, Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates, India’s YoshiKiller and Shubham “Shubham” Khorwal made an impressive debut, finishing in second and fourth place respectively.
YoshiKiller raced off to a dream start by claiming first place in Group A in the group stage. Meanwhile, Shubham took second in Group B, resulting in both players advancing into the Top 8 alongside top 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 at the Quarter & Semi Finals 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 4:2 match, he fought valiantly, finishing in fourth place after the bronze match against RenZoken. In the championship finals, YoshiKiller faced XCC in a hard-fought battle, ultimately taking the silver.
Speaking of his victory, 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 is a huge achievement. I’m more motivated than ever to make my country proud in future esports competitions."
Shubham on being placed 4th, 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 Mr. 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 medals, players were awarded prize money for their achievements. The champion received 650,000₽ (approximately Rs 5.6 lakhs), while the runner-up, YoshiKiller, earned 300,000₽ (around Rs 2.5 lakhs). Shubham, who placed fourth, was awarded 75,000₽ (approximately Rs 65,000).
As the governing body for esports in India, ESFI has been at the forefront of promoting competitive gaming, playing a pivotal role in events like the Asian Games 2018, 2022 and the Commonwealth Esports Championship 2022, where India secured bronze medals and was placed fifth for League of Legends. Having affiliations with International Esports Federation, Asian Esports Federation and Global Esports Federation, ESFI is committed to elevating India’s presence in the global esports landscape.