India bags historic double gold in Esports at WAVES Championship

India secured its first-ever international gold medals in esports during the inaugural WAVES Esports Championship (WESC), hosted at the Jio Convention Centre in Mumbai. The landmark achievement came through Danial "DaNiAL" Patel and Tejaskumar Hasmukhbhai Bhoi, who triumphed in eFootball and World Cricket Championship 3 (WCC3), respectively.

Organised by the Esports Federation of India (ESFI), WESC featured national champions from five countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, competing in two titles. The Indian players delivered standout performances in front of a home crowd.

DaNiAL dominated the eFootball bracket with a decisive 2-0 win over Malaysia's Mohamad Azrudin Bin Yaacob in the final. He had earlier dispatched Southiphone Singthong (Laos) 5-3 and edged out Thailand’s Nathawat Satake 2-1. “Winning the international leg of WAVES was an unforgettable experience,” said DaNiAL. “Competing on a global stage pushed me beyond my limits.”

Tejas, meanwhile, led the WCC3 contest from the outset. Facing Sri Lanka’s Mohamad Shaad Mohamad Uvaiz and Nepal’s Rajat Budathoki, he emerged unbeaten through the round-robin and the final. Reflecting on the competition, Tejas remarked, “The world's waves may crash loud, but the calm of a focused mind always wins the league.”

The championship concluded during the Creatosphere Awards, closing the multi-day WAVES Summit, which combined tech, gaming, and culture. ESFI President Vinod Tiwari praised the players and the platform. “India’s historic first international golds at WESC are a testament to our esports growth,” he said. “DaNiAL and Tejas showed the composure, maturity, and gameplay that defines the future of Indian esports.”

Backed by growing support and recognition, including involvement in the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Esports Championship, ESFI used WESC to highlight India’s ambitions in the global esports landscape.