Former The International champion Syed “SumaiL” Hassan has come to the rescue of Team Aster after they were struggling with visa issues that prevented Zhai “Xwy” Jingkai from traveling to Europe for Dota 2’s Berlin Major.
The initial rumors were finally confirmed by Nigma Galaxy via a Twitter announcement today that said SumaiL would be traveling to Berlin to help out Aster when the Major starts on April 26.
Aster can now focus on getting the most out of the Berlin Major with a complete roster, but the move also marks a rare occurrence within the Dota 2 world. Ever since the inception of the game’s competitive scene, there have been only a handful of team-ups between Western players and Chinese teams.
Dominik “Black^” Reitmeier joining Vici Gaming and Rasmus “MISERY” Filipsen playing under LGD International in the early-to-mid 2010s are the two notable examples of this situation. The event’s rarity comes from language barriers, but Aster was ready to take that chance.
Given the circumstances, Aster also had to choose a player from a limited number of players. Finding a Chinese or a SEA player who could travel to Europe with last-minute notice could turn out to be a more challenging feat when you already have a TI winner in the region with no immediate obligations.
The partnership for the Major also benefits SumaiL since Nigma was recently relegated to the second division in the Western European Dota Pro Circuit. Getting to play at the Major after a disappointing season could help boost SumaiL’s spirit and prepare him for the grind that awaits Nigma in the summer.
