Cover-Credits:
During a podcast hosted last week by Dota 2 caster Austin "Cap" Walsha, Team Liquid's coach William "Blitz" Lee provided insights into the challenges the team is currently grappling with in preparation for the ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 tournament. The focal point of concern revolved around Neta "33" Shapira, the team's offlaner, who faces potential visa complications stemming from his Israeli nationality, putting his participation in the tournament in jeopardy.
Blitz subtly suggested that Jonáš "SabeRLight-" Volek, who plays for Shopify Rebellion could potentially step in as a stand-in for 33 at ESL One Kuala Lumpur. This speculation was subsequently confirmed by Team Liquid through a Twitter announcement: "Roster Update - @jonas_volek will be standing in for @33Dota at ESL One Kuala Lumpur #LetsGoLiquid."
The confirmed lineup for Team Liquid in the upcoming tournament includes:
Michael "miCKe" Vu
Michał "Nisha" Jankowski
Jonáš "SabeRLight-" Volek (Stand-in)
Samuel "Boxi" Svahn
Aydin "iNSaNiA" Sarkohi
Saberlight Standin Arc Continues
SabeRLight- himself acknowledged the development on Twitter, stating, "The Saberlight standin arc CONTINUES! See y'all in KL (this time not playing carry but me carry anyways)."
Since Shopify Rebellion did not tryout for ESL One Kuala Lumpur, SabeRLight- was able to standin for Team Liquid at the last minute.
Notably, SabeRLight- has previous experience as a stand-in for other teams, as witnessed last year at PGL Arlington Major, where he played as the stand-in for Ivan "Pure" Moskalenko with Entity Gaming and managed to secure a 5th-6th position.
Fans of SabeRLight- are excited to see him play as his unique and humorous gameplay makes the game fun to watch and memorable. One such moment occurred at the PGL Arlington Major during a game against Evil Geniuses, where he styled on Abed "Abed" Yusop’s Queen of Pain with his Doom
Currently part of the Shopify Rebellion roster, SabeRLight- boasts a hero pool that aligns seamlessly with Team Liquid's aggressive gameplay style. His preference for heroes like BrewMaster, Primal Beast, and Axe complements Liquid's game style, characterized by an aggressive approach and reliance on offlane heroes with disables and aura items. The ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 tournament will provide an intriguing stage to observe how well Team Liquid synergizes with SabeRLight- in the absence of 33.
