Cover-Credits:
The curtains fell on Day 2 of The International 2023 (TI12) with Thunder Awaken marking an unfortunate milestone as the first team to bow out of the tournament, succumbing to a disheartening 2-0 defeat at the hands of Team Liquid. Team Liquid's triumph propelled it into the second phase of the group stage, a fate that fortunately spared Shopify Rebellion from elimination.
Following Thunder Awaken, Team SMG, beastcoast and PSG Quest also took their leave from the tournament. Team SMG was knocked out after a 0-2 tiebreaker loss against Evil Geniuses (EG). While, beastcoast and PSQ Quest were unable to win any games on Day 2, with both the teams ending the day with 0-4 losses in their final two series.
However, Day 2 did not just see a lot of broken hearts, but also saw the breaking of a long-standing record. Aybek "TA2000" Tokayev, PSG Quest's carry player, etched his name onto the annals of Dota 2 history by achieving the highest Gold Per Minute (GPM) in the history of The International during an intense game against Tundra. Previously, the highest GPM at TI was 1176 and this was held by Marcus "Ace" Christensen’s Alchemist for four years at The International 2019.
With four teams already eliminated, TI12 enters Phase 2 of the Group Stage and fans can expect to see teams switching into high gear.
TI12 Group Stage Day 2 Broke Hearts and Records
Here are the standout narratives from Day 2 of The International 2023's Group Stage:
Thunder Awaken Crashes Out of TI12
Thunder Awaken, representing the South American contingent, was the first team to bid farewell to the tournament. Its performance in this year's TI12 was marred by adversity, as it grappled with a string of losses, securing only one victory out of the eight games played during the group stages. Its final struggle culminated in a valiant yet ultimately futile attempt to ward off Team Liquid's onslaught, with Michał "Nisha" Jankowski's Sniper securing a decisive win in Game 1. In Game 2, Thunder Awaken's desperate defense effort at the 41st-minute mark backfired, ultimately leading to Team Liquid's victory.
Team SMG, beastcoast & PSG Talon Also Bow Out
In a tournament filled with formidable adversaries, Team SMG was an underdog, despite having a solid lineup. Unfortunately, the team faltered during the intense group stages of The International. Its journey was brought to an end after a hard-fought battle in tiebreakers against the mighty Evil Geniuses. At the end of Day 2, It’s win-loss record was 2-6.
With Team SMG's departure, Talon Esports now stands as the sole Southeast Asian (SEA) representative in the tournament. Talon secured its place through a triumphant performance on Day 2, triumphing over both Keyd Stars and PSG Quest.
In Group C, beastcoast faced tough opponents in LGD Gaming and Gaimin Gladiators and was eliminated from the competition. Its journey came to a close after suffering loss against these two powerhouses. At the end of Day 2 It’s win-loss record was 2-6
TA2000 Shatters GPM Record
In an intense 87-minute showdown between PSG Quest and Tundra, Aybek "TA2000" Tokayev on Naga Siren etched his name in the record books by achieving the highest Gold Per Minute (GPM) in the history of The International. His staggering 1254 GPM, coupled with an astonishing 1832 Last Hits, which marked the second-highest number of last hits ever recorded at The International, attested to his remarkable performance. Regrettably, despite this herculean effort, PSG Quest fell short in the face of Tundra's relentless pressure helmed by Oliver “skiter” Lepko’s Sven.
TI12 Groups Phase 1 saw multiple games being played at the same time, leaving viewers confused about which games to watch. However, moving forward to TI12 Groups Phase 2, the 16 qualified teams will battle it out in a seeding round. The seeding will decide the strong teams in the tournament and according to the results in Phase 2, they will be seeded either into the upper or lower bracket in the Playoffs stage.
The games will be played in a best-of-three format, and only one game will be played at a time.
