RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's Team Vitality strengthened the country's hopes of another international Mobile Legends title after opening the 2026 Mid Season Cup with a convincing 2-0 victory over India's True Rippers.

Team Vitality credited weeks of preparation for the 2-0 victory in the opening Group Stage match of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid Season Cup (MSC) at the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 in Paris, France, on Wednesday July 22.

The victory sends the MPL Indonesia Season 17 champions to the upper bracket of the double-elimination Group Stage, leaving them just one match away from securing a place in the Knockout Stage.

Team Vitality player Moreno said the team had spent more than three weeks adapting to the latest game meta following the conclusion of MPL Indonesia Season 17.

"We had more than three weeks to adapt to the new meta and heroes, which are quite different from the MPL playoffs because of the many updates, nerfs, and buffs. International teams also use some unique hero picks," Moreno said on Wednesday, as quoted by Antara.

The Indonesian side also analyzed True Rippers' playing style despite rarely facing teams from the Indian region. "We already had a good understanding of how they play. They are also very good at executing their strategies," Moreno added.

The preparation was evident in the opening game, with Team Vitality controlling the tempo through aggressive rotations and objective control before sealing victory in around 10 minutes.

Jungler Nnael's Akai played a crucial role by repeatedly creating openings that allowed Team Vitality to dominate key team fights. Although the second game extended into the late stages, Team Vitality remained composed to complete the sweep and secure its first win of the tournament. ***