By Sagar V. Mankar 
Team Tamilas emerged victorious at the BGMI Thug Invitational 2024, outlasting 31 other top-tier teams in an intense competition organized by 8bit Thug and Upthrust Esports.
Held online from October 19 to October 27, the tournament brought together some of the best BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) squads from across India, with a grand prize pool of ₹800,000 (approximately $9,512 USD).
Tournament Overview
The Thug Invitational 2024 featured 32 teams competed in the tournament, which was split into two main stages:
- Semi-Finals (October 19 – October 24): The semi-finals saw the teams divided into four groups (Groups A, B, C, and D) of eight teams each. The top 16 teams advanced to the Grand Finals, ensuring that only the most consistent and skilled squads made it to the final showdown.
- Grand Finals (October 25 – October 27): The Grand Finals hosted the top 16 teams from the semi-finals, competing across three matchdays to determine the champions.
Group Stage Lineup
The tournament featured popular teams like Team SouL, GODS REIGN, and XSPARK. Each group had a mix of fan-favorite squads and emerging talents, intensifying the competition. Some notable groups were:
Group A
- Aerobotz
- Bot Army
- Celestics ESP
- Dragon Claw
- Esports Aim
- Inferno Squad
- Medal Esports
- Mogo Esports
- Nonx
- Team Rulers
- Silly Esports
- Team Avii
- Team Havk
- Team IQOO SOUL
- Team LOLZZZ
- Team VST
Group B
- Astro Kinds
- Blizz Network
- Tarkin Spartans
- FAITH ESPORTS
- Fatality Esports
- Gujrat Tigers
- K9
- LEFP
- Orangutan
- Phoenix Esports
- XSPARK
- Rivals Ape X
- Sarkar Gaming
- Team Bosan
- Team Tamilas
- Windgod Esports
Group C
- 2A
- Arrancar ESP
- Autobotz
- Carnival Gaming
- Carpedium
- Dream Team
- E4e
- FS Esports
- GENXFM
- JUSTJELLY
- Mastermind
- Myth
- Nebula Esports
- NUMEN
- Team Misfits
- Team Kanary
Group D
- 4 Merical Esports
- Aliaba Raiders
- ANTIDOTE
- G7 Esports
- GODS REIGN
- Hyderabad Hydras
- Karnadu
- Laztzone
- Reckoning
- Rich Esports
- Team 8BIT
- Team Obey
- Team Versatile
- Team 7Shore
- Team K4C
- Team Z
Final Standing
- 1. Team Tamilas – 172 points
- 2. MOGO Esports – 146 points
- 3. FS Esports – 146 points
- 4. Team Soul – 144 points
- 5. NONX – 141 points
- 6. Medal Esports – 132 points
- 7. Team Jelly – 105 points
- 8. Team 8Bit – 93 points
- 9. LEFP – 86 points
- 10. Gujarat Tigers – 77 points
- 11. Team Omega – 77 points
- 12. Numen Gaming – 73 points
- 13. Carnival Gaming – 65 points
- 14. Genxfm – 64 points
- 15. Team VST – 54 points
- 16. Phoenix – 52 points
Prize Pool
The prize pool was distributed among the top 5 performing teams:
- 1st Place – Team Tamilas: ₹300,000 (approx. $3,567 USD)
- 2nd Place – MOGO Esports: ₹200,000 (approx. $2,378 USD)
- 3rd Place – FS Esports: ₹150,000 (approx. $1,784 USD)
- 4th Place – Team SouL: ₹75,000 (approx. $892 USD)
- 5th Place – NONX: ₹50,000 (approx. $594 USD)
Team SouL’s Rony was awarded the MVP of the tournament, recognized for his outstanding individual performance and consistent impact throughout the competition.