Fans gathered at the NSCI Dome in Mumbai to watch 8 teams from around the world compete for $300,000 at India’s first major Dota 2 event.
The Group Stage
The Dota 2 kicked off straight away at the St.Regis Hotel, with two groups of four teams playing over three days. Team Team from NA made an excellent showing, going 4-0 against their opponents Natus Vincere, TNC Predator and compLexity Gaming. Meanwhile Keen Gaming was also set to impress, likewise going 4-0 against Mineski, The Pango and Signify. There were loads of crazy and exciting games during the groups, but it would be during the Main Stage where there would be real pressure to perform.
The Main Stage
The first day at the NSCI Dome was not without casualties; compLexity were narrowly knocked out of the tournament by The Pango, while local Indian team Signify crashed out against TNC Predator, who then went on to knock out fan favourites Team Team, despite their dominance in the Group Stage. Keen Gaming, who had been sent into the Lower Brackets by Natus Vincere, showcased their desire to win by promptly beating The Pango and TNC Predator, culminating in a repeat showing between them and Navi in the Lower Bracket Finals. This time, the Chinese team were determined not to lose again, and sent Navi packing with a clean 2-0.
Meanwhile, Mineski proved to be a force to be reckoned with in the Upper Brackets, having beaten Team Team and Navi to make it into the Grand Finals. Both Mineski and Keen Gaming had a chance to win the coveted ESL One Mumbai Trophy and the lion's share of the $300,000, but only one could win.
In a true fairytale ending, it was Keen Gaming who, despite being sent into the Lower Brackets, came into full force in the Grand Finals. Their drafts and gameplay were clean and clinical, with Mineski simply unable to either draft and play for late game, or play for an early finish. Keen Gaming swept the SEA team 3-0, despite an impressive performance from Mineski. As such it was the Chinese team that walked away as ESL One Mumbai Champions.
The next stop for ESL One is Birmingham, so make sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest news and updates!
