Abhinav Tejan and Ibrahim Gulrez are set to represent India at the 15th World Esports Championships. The world tournament will start in Iasi, Romania, on August 26. Tejan will compete in Tekken 7 whereas Ibrahim Gulrez will compete in eFootball 2023. WEC 2023 carries a US$500,000 (INR 4.12 crore) grand prize.
WEC 2023: India’s esports athletes and other tournaments details
India’s Tekken 7 sensation has won the South Asia Regional Finals of the Tekken World Tour in 2017 as well as the India Premiership 2023. Tejan will make his sixth appearance for India at the renowned competition as he opens his campaign against Colombia, Egypt, and Turkmenistan on the first day of the group rounds. After that, he will compete against Bulgaria and Turkey. All group stages games for Tekken 7 will be played in the best-of-t hree format.
Ahead of the tournament, Tejan spoke about his preparations. He said that representing India is always an honour, and he is focused on studying his opponents and their gameplay patterns to counter their strategies. “The level of competition at the tournament is fierce, and I understand the responsibility on my shoulders as I represent the country. My aim is to showcase the potential of Indian esports on the international platform by taking home the medal,” he added.
Gulrez has been described as one of the rising stars of eFootball in India. While Tejan has made several appearances at the event, this will be Gulrez’s WEC debut. He will face Kazakhstan, Portugal, and Mali on the opening day before taking on Uruguay and Belgium the next day. All group stages games will feature a best-of-2 format.
“This is a dream come true for me. I have worked tirelessly to refine my skills, and the opportunity to showcase them at the World Esports Championships is a surreal moment. I want to express my gratitude to ESFI for all of their support and for providing me with the opportunity to represent my country. My focus is to be mentally and physically prepared for some of the best players from all over the globe and give it all to triumph,” Gulrez said.
