This November, Mobile Legends will host its biggest esports event of 2023. Teams from different regions have fought several battles to get a slot in the grand event of MOONTON’s popular MOBA. However, 4Merical Esports has become the only South Asian team to qualify for the grand event, geared up by team captain Sudeep Bolakhe, known as “Clock“. As the MLBB pro scene is dominated by Southeast Asian teams, a little light of hope is still alive with 4Merical Esports.
The M5 World Championship 2023 will kick off on the 23rd of November 2023. The event will start with the wildcard event where the top two teams will book tickets to the main stage of the M5. After the wildcard stage ends, 16 teams will battle in the main stage for the crown of the best MLBB esports team.
“4Merical Esports will need a bit of luck to qualify for the group stage of M5”
Sudeep “Clock” Bolakhe
Recently, GamingonPhone had the opportunity to talk with the South Asian flag bearer 4Merical Esports and its team captain Sudeep “Clock” Bolakhe. The team shared valuable thoughts about the events that lie ahead, the wildcard. Also, the player shared his thoughts on the team and its goal in the coming days. As the team is ready to battle in group A of the M5 wildcard, Clock from 4Merical Esports says that they will give their best to get a chance in the main stage but they’ll also need a bit of luck.
From PingPong to 4MV. We would like to know the story. I mean, When the organization contacted you and you decided to play. Now, the team is getting much care like the boot camp and incubation to shine up more to make the team stronger and play with a bigger goal in bigger stages as well. Tell us about the journey to becoming 4MV from PingPong.
It was like we got an offer from Kunal Timilsina (CEO and Founder of 4Merical Esports) 2 to 3 months ago when we qualified for Saudi Arabia, it was the qualifier event for the IESF World Esports Championship 2023 for Asia & Oceania. He contacted me and we were confused at that time we’re gonna join or not. Right after we lost with the Saudis and came back to Nepal, we were like we need some org. We couldn’t afford it all by ourselves such as boot camp and so we needed at least one support.
So, we needed to join any org and at that time. I was searching for organizations to sponsor us and I was trying some big organizations in Nepal and some of them were like, “We will take you but we can’t afford much because there is no prize pool and all“. But at last 4Merical agreed to that like he would be giving us a coach, he would be giving us boot camp. So we joined for facilities, not for salary and it was not any money. We just joined here cause we need some good facilities, of course, including boot camp so that we can train well and qualify and do something.
In the Asia & Oceania Qualifier, you lost the last-chance match against Saudi Arabia. Winning the match would get you a chance in the 15th IESF WEC. How did it affect you in coming back to the scene again?
It was like right after we lost with Saudi we were kind of depressed for some time, maybe 2 to 3 days, because we were almost close to qualifying for Romania. it was our own mistake. When we lost there it was like we needed something like coaches and facilities. So we didn’t do well and lost to Saudi Arabia. Right before that, we got good competition and we were like, “We gonna do it!“. We even won with the UAE and we were full of confidence but that confidence became overconfidence.
We lost against the Saudis at that time and got depressed. It was almost like M5 gonna come so we stuck together and kept on grinding after that. So it didn’t affect us at all. It was a great motivation to my team members that we already lost one international and we needed to do something. We could still qualify for the wildcard and we need to do it. It was also motivation for us. That loss was kind of a motivation for us, not our depression side.
Coming to the Nepal Championship Fall 2023, it had slots for MCB. It was the last event under team PingPong. The group stage was smooth. You guys didn’t lose a single match. But, what happened in the playoffs? In the first match you lost against Velocity, and you had to go down to the lower bracket and then come back strongly to become the champion. As the tournament had only two slots, didn’t it bother you guys that It was the last event to take you to the M5, and losing it would wash away the dream? But the team came back strongly. What was the team thinking during the lower bracket matches? A single loss then would cost the team very much. With many things going around, the announcement to tie up with 4MV came on the 16th, the playoffs began the next day, and a loss against Velocity on the same day. Tell us the motivation for overcoming the pressure.
We lost because of our own mistakes. We made a lot of mistakes and we lost there and right after we lost against Velocity, it was like a 2-0 against the team and we were in the upper bracket with Team Velocity. Losing the match, we went to a lower bracket. Right after that, we won by 2-0 against Velocity and 2-0 with another team.
Again in the final, even managed to win a 3-0 against Crack Heads. It was our one mistake that we lost with Velocity and we solved it there. I thought the issue was that our XP-laner was playing as a Gold learner. So it was kind of messy at that time. But we came back stronger, we didn’t even lose one match.
Coming to the Champion Battles Fall, the same scenario again. 4MV had to play four matches out of a total of 6! That’s quite a rough journey. The event left you with no other choice but to become the champion. Congratulations on winning it and stepping onto the int. level. We would like to hear about the experience of MLBB Champion Battles Fall 2023.
Oh! it was a hell of a good tournament because it was the first LAN tournament. The first international tournament in Nepal and it was kind of the biggest tournament we have seen till now in Nepal. The audience was big actually and it was thrilling. So when we started the game, everyone had one dream to play in many stages like the M5 of the M series. Of course, we needed to win.
We wanted to do something, we had a dream to go to the M series and it was like pressure to us from earlier. And we lost a few games in the past, it was the same repeating again and again. We didn’t even analyze anything about them, how they play, what they play and we messed up there.
And right after that, again, the same happened in the MCB. We were like, “We’ll give our best and we need to win this“. From the start, we were like we gonna win this and our target was mainly 69 Gaming Team because they were only the ones we thought like they gonna give competition to us so we were more focused on them. And we didn’t even get time to think about any other from Bangladesh. We lost one game and we came to the lower bracket. Right after the lower bracket, we understand how they play, what hero they choose more, and what their comfortable agents are. It helped us to win the event afterward.
Let’s talk about the M5 Wildcard. 4MV is in group A with Nightmare, Falcons, and SMG. No wonder, SMG will be the toughest to fight against, they played in the M3 as well. Nightmare is also playing for a lot of time in the pro scene. Falcons are new, but the team has much potential. What will be 4MV’s strategy considering these factors?
For now, we already made one mistake. We took care of the risk. We thought it would be easier on the MCB and we paid for it. But now, we’re gonna take every team as the same. We’re not gonna point them out that this team is god, this team is better. We’ll treat the teams the same. So what matters is how we gonna play how we gonna how we gonna give our base. That’s all I guess, we aren’t gonna treat anyone as special rather we’ll be going with overall plans. We are going to do our business.
When the M5 begins, every team will give out their best. What is the target for 4MV? What we can hope for with the team?
We can say that we will qualify for the main stage. I’m 70% confident of this but we’ll need that 30% luck as well. It’s hard work all over, and we do that all the time. Let’s see it is not a luck-based game. So yeah, we’ll qualify.
Tell us about the future of MLBB in Nepal. It has a big community there. We saw the president of the Olympic Committee of Nepal recognizing your team and your achievements. So, what could we see more soon?
Right now I think it’s gonna grow a lot. I’ll mention only one point here. Every big organization is looking for a team in Nepal for MLBB. Right now, there is not much prize pool in the events for Nepal. So, the team qualified for the M5 and I think it will draw more attention to the scene. Last MCB didn’t have many attendees but the overall scene will grow a lot. Even in South Asia, it will grow a lot.
The recent shift in the Nepalese esports scene is very promising. You have already a formidable place in PUBG Mobile (DRS Gaming playing the PMGC). For MLBB, we are watching the graph is rising high as well. What is the community environment overall? From the fans of MLBB to the other title organizations, including the MLBB scene.
I don’t know how much support we’re getting because in Nepal the fans of PUBG Mobile don’t know much about Mobile Legends, but they gonna know in the future. It’s also a game, a good game. It’s also a global game like PUBG Mobile. I don’t know how much support we are getting from the fans of those titles.
Sudep, you were the team’s heart. From decision-making to in-game leader and calling out moves, you’re surrounding the whole scene going on with the team. And, getting success has made your place strong and showcased you as the perfect leader. How do you manage the team synergy?
How do I manage team synergy? Maybe it’s trust, trust in the team. To increase our synergy what we do is trust each other. That’s all I guess, and play more. Keep grinding and that’s the way we make our synergy, I guess.
Talking about the line-up, the players were together for a lot of time and played many events. So, the communication and understanding is great I assume, but playing under Amoux’s coaching, what’s it like?
He is a great coach and helps us to play in a competitive server like the SEA. The meta that we follow in South Asia and the meta they follow in the SEA in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have vast differences. So, he’s covering that area by taking us to the SEA server and analyzing how the SEA teams play, and their strategies. Like, he is a great coach and has been helping us a lot lately.
So, 2023 has brought you guys many successes, for you (clock) and for the team as well. We saw in March, the team won the Nepal qualifiers event. And then you guys did win almost every event you have played in this year. And now, 4MV is also coming in. So much is happening for the team this year. How’s the journey so far in 2023?
It is going great so far. We participated in two international events and we didn’t lose a single tournament except the Asia and Oceania qualifier. In each event we participated in 2023, we dominated them all. So, this is a great year to speak of particularly. Kind of big things happened to us but I won’t call it dream because I know we have done so much hard work to achieve this. We have been doing this for 3 or 4 years now and it’s finally paying off.
It’s been a year since you guys were married. How’s life now with esports? I mean, with her on your side do you feel more attentive, energetic, or focused on your games? She came as the wife and so much growth in a year! She’s brought luck. Congratulations on that!
I don’t think there is much difference because we have been in relationships for like three years, maybe three years plus. We got married last year and even right after that we are still going through a long-distance relationship like before. She’s in Korea and will come on holiday and will go back after. Getting support from her is a kind of blessing to me. She has been supporting me in each and everything. She’s like, “If you want to do it then you’ll do it for sure“. So, it’s a blessing.
That’s all for our 4Merical Esports captain Clock’s Interview! Did you feel we missed out on any query in this Interview? Let us know in the comment section below!
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