The national team, comprising five players — Harriq Izzat Amirul Muhammad (Puaka), Iqbal Harun (KienKien12), Fazrul Izwan Roslan (Saviourz), Reydza Pyar Dasha Fadilah (Zetsu) and Shah Rullah Muadzah Sauki (Kinda) — lost 0-3 to Cambodia in a 90 minute-long gold medal match held at the Naga World 2 complex.

National team manager Andrew Cheong said he was very pleased with his team’s performance as they managed to hit the target of bringing home silver from Cambodia’s most popular online game.

AK2 is a ‘first person shooter’ video game for mobile devices and personal computer (PC).

“I can’t deny the fact that AK2 is the most popular online game in Cambodia but kudos to the team as they managed to put up a good fight against Cambodia from the start till the end,” he told Bernama after the final.

Cheong, also known as ‘Sir Cloud’, said the national team deserved a pat on their back as the players who represented the country were full-time workers.

“I am very proud with their commitment, especially two months leading up to the Games. It isn’t easy for them to juggle work and training, but in the end they managed to return with a medal,” he said.

On behalf of the team, Cheong said he was grateful to the National Sports Council for allowing them to train in Bukit Jalil, as well as the Olympic Council of Malaysia for their help and support in the biennial Games.

Manila 2019 remains the best achievement for Malaysia’s e-sports team as they clinched their only gold so far via Yew Weng Kean in the Hearthstone game and a bronze in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.

In Hanoi 2021, the national squad delivered three bronze medals in Fifa Online 4, Arena of Valor and PUBG Mobile.