DPlus KIA has been crowned the new champion of the League of Legends Esports World Cup 2026. The team from South Korea defeated Karmine Corp 3-0 in the grand final held this Sunday, the 19th, thus ending a six-year period without international titles.
In addition to the main prize, DPlus KIA secured a sum of US$ 600 thousand. Karmine Corp, which finished second, received US$ 340 thousand.
DPlus KIA's journey in the tournament was noted as one of the biggest surprises. In the elimination stages, the team eliminated Bilibili Gaming, who were considered one of the favorites, and subsequently overcame Gen.G, who aimed for their third consecutive title at the Esports World Cup.
In another part of the bracket, Karmine Corp also caused a surprise by eliminating the Chinese team AG.AL and defeating T1, all in front of the audience in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Although the French team presented a competitive campaign until the final, the final was predominantly controlled by the LCK representative. In the first map, DPlus KIA achieved victory after 31 minutes of play, with a score of 16 to 9 in kills, highlighting the performances of ShowMaker, playing with Viktor, and Smash, with Kai’Sa.
The second match started evenly, but a crucial fight for Baron gave the South Koreans an advantage. The team managed to extend its dominance and finished the map in 33 minutes, with 18 to 8 in eliminations.
In the third and decisive match, DPlus KIA established control from the first minutes, neutralizing any attempt by Karmine Corp to react. The game concluded in just 27 minutes, with an impressive score of 23 to 5 in kills, securing the title 3-0.
This title marks the first international achievement for both DPlus KIA and its main player, Heo 'ShowMaker' Su, since the League of Legends World Championship in 2020. The ADC Smash also stood out in the final, being named MVP of the grand final for guiding the team through crucial moments of the series.
Proteas' fast bowler, Lungie Ngidi, stated that the decisive match for him in the World Test Championship final at Lord's stadium was the main turning point that revived his international career.
Ngidi shared in an exclusive interview with IOL during the Cricket SA (CSA) awards ceremony in Sandton. He noted that all the momentum started precisely when he took three wickets for nine overs and managed to maintain that pace up to the present day.
Before the WTC final in London last June, Ngidi was not a guaranteed player in the squad, and fans and experts actively advocated for the selection of Ntine Olifant Bartman. Nevertheless, Proteas coach Shukri Conrad supported the experienced fast bowler, and the 30-year-old athlete does not regret this decision.
Ngidi explained that the main change was the increase in playing time. He mentioned the coach's words that the more he plays, the better he gets, which was a huge plus for his career. Previously, he lacked time on the field, which led to instability.
Even in the first half of the match at Lord's, Ngidi initially struggled, taking no wickets and conceding 45 runs in eight overs. While Kagiso Rabada (5/51) and Marco Jansen (3/49) dominated the Australian batting, Ngidi managed to change the course of the game in the second half.
He emphasized that Shukri gave him opportunities, and he was able to respond with results, which he believes is a player's duty. Ngidi believes that this decisive match served as a long-awaited boost to his international form. After this, he went to Australia, where he achieved a five-wicket haul, participated in the series in England, and also played in T20, the World Cup, and SA20 in India. He compared this to a snowball effect, where good results lead to new successes.
Ngidi added that in cricket, you often continue to act as you did the day before if the results are positive. This snowball effect, starting with one over at Lord's, changed everything in his career, making it significantly easier than in previous years.
The Australian team is preparing to play a two-match test series on home soil against Bangladesh. Australian cricket has unveiled a squad of 13 players. Well-known athletes such as Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon have returned to the team, where they will now play alongside captain Pat Cummins.
Previously, captain Pat Cummins was absent due to injury, but he has now returned. Before this, Pat Cummins managed to play only one Test match during Ashes 2025-26, while Josh Hazlewood missed the entire Ashes series and could not participate in the 2026 T20 World Cup due to injury. Nevertheless, Hazlewood demonstrated strong form by returning to the RCB squad for IPL 2026, where the team won the trophy twice in a row, and his contribution was significant.
Following the retirement of Usman Khawaja, Travis Head received a promotion and became the opening batsman. Jack Verhodeld will also feature in this series alongside Travis Head. The return of these stars led to some younger players being excluded from the squad. Michael Neeser and Brendan Doggett, who performed excellently in the Ashes, were unable to secure a spot in the team.
Spinner Todd Murphy is also not included in the squad against Bangladesh, although he will train with the team for potential use as a reserve. These three players attracted attention from fans due to their recent performances. Bangladesh is visiting Australia for the first time in 23 years to play a Test series. The first match is scheduled from August 13 to 17 at the Marrira Cricket Grand in Darwin, and the second match will take place from August 22 to 26 at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay. Australia aims to assert its dominance by winning both matches by a large margin.
Over the history between the two teams, 6 Test matches have been played, with Australia securing 5 victories. Bangladesh managed only one win, which was achieved in a match in Mirpur in 2017. In the ICC Test Championship table, Australia holds a confident first place with 7 wins in 8 matches, while Bangladesh is in fourth place with 2 wins in 4 matches.
