Kairi and Coach Yeb celebrate after entering the finals of MSC 2023. Courtesy: Moonton Games
PHNOM Penh, Cambodia (UPDATE) -- Kairi and Coach Yeb can finally call themselves international champions, as Indonesian squad Onic Esports captured its second Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asia Cup title over Blacklist International.
This is Indonesia's first international Mobile Legends title in 4 years, after Onic Esports captured the MSC 2019 title in Araneta Coliseum, snapping the Philippines' four-year streak in reaping international titles.
Using his signature hero Ling, Kairi and crew took flight as they dismantled Blacklist in a lopsided Game 1.
It took a final team fight within the 20th minute mark for Onic to turn things around and go ahead with a 2-0 lead.
Nicky "Kiboy" Fernando gave Blacklist a hard time early on but Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo's triple kill in the final team fight of Game 3 got them on board.
Blacklist and Echo captured one game apiece, before Onic sealed the coffin in Game 5, as they completely shut down Howard "Owl" Gonzales, who ended up with 7 kills.
Both Kairi and Coach Yeb were acquired by Onic Esports, shortly after their exit from Onic Philippines in June 2022.
Blacklist, the last Filipino squad standing in the mid-season tournament, will go home as the second placers.