Only three days remain before MSC 2023 gets underway, and we are looking at our rankings for the final group, Group D.

As there are now three days remaining until the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup 2023 kicks off from the Aeon Mall Mean Chey in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, we look at our final list of rankings for the final group, Group D. Having already gone through Group A, B, and C, Group D is one that many will be watching.

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Group D

Blacklist International
Team Occupy
Todak

When we look at Group D, we see two massive favourites within the SEA regions and one team which we really do not know a lot about. This could be a blessing for the two big names during the group stages, or it could throw a massive hammer into the works with strategies which they may be unfamiliar with.

Blacklist International

There is not a lot to say about Blacklist International that has not been said countless times before, although the team are no longer considered the best in the world. Having lost both the M4 World Championship and the Mobile Legends Professional League Season 11 in the Philippines to ECHO, the dominant team of 2022 now play second fiddle to their closest rivals in the region – but that does not count them out. Blacklist’s only problem seems to be the Orca’s, which leaves them as one of our top contenders for MSC 2023.

As the only title they have not claimed on the MLBB circuit, the team which Blacklist steps forward with is one which we have come to know and love. As they execute their Ultimate Bonding Experience playstyle (UBE), look out for heroes such as Estes from Johnmar “OhMyV33NUS” Villaluna, and amazing mid-lane moves from the rookie, Kenneth Carl “Yue” Tadeo. Even without Salic “Hadji” Imam, this team can go a long way – especially with Danerie “Wise” James on the prowl.

Read more: MSC 2023: Breaking down Group B's challengers

Team Occupy

Hailing from Egypt, Occupy made their way through the MPL Middle East and North Africa Spring 2023 season to reach the first MSC with teams from outside the SEA region. While there is not a whole lot to take from this team, one thing we do know is that some of the players and their coach have been on the international stage prior to this event.

First and foremost, comes the coach, Alexander “WarBarbie” Korystin, who fans may remember from M2 when he played alongside Unique Devu (formerly Deus Vult), a CIS roster at the time. After moving to the coaching role, he took Natus Vincere to M3, before turning his attention to Occupy earlier this year. Alongside this, the team features players from Occupy Thrones, who most will remember from M4 earlier this year. Unfortunately for Occupy, unless they have some crazy strategies which we do not know about, this group may be impossible for them – similar to the team we saw at M4.

TODAK

Rounding out Group D and our rankings is the Swordfish, TODAK. Having constantly been in a tussle for the top spot within their region, TODAK came out on top for the second time in three seasons at the end of Season 11. The team have some of the best players out there and performs extremely well given the right circumstances. With that said, the international stage has never been kind to TODAK, with MSC always been a long way out of their grasp.

TODAK’s lineup features a fair few tried and tested players, all of which fly the Malaysian flag proudly for their squad. From Muhammad Danial “CikuGais” Bin Mohamad Fuad in the gold lane all the way to Idreen “Momo” Bin Abdul Jamal in the EXP lane, the Swordfish can often move around the Land of Dawn with easy, catching their opponents off guard and securing vital kills. In this group, Blacklist should be their only competition, but it is possible that they still will not be up to the might of PH.

  • Read more:MSC 2023: The home ground advantage may not be enough in Group C

At the end of the day, everything comes down to how each and every team decides to play their early group encounters. For Blacklist and TODAK, Group D should technically be on lockdown and the knockout stage is calling – but never underestimate anyone in MLBB, as Occupy always has a shot at hitting back hard to cause a massive upset. With only three days left until the action gets underway, we are anxious to see how MSC 2023 progresses for every team involved.