Although N.E.D Brotherhood didn’t qualify for the PMPL SEA Finals (PUBG Mobile Professional League Southeast Asia) Spring Split 2020 last season, they were just three seats shy of entering the regional tournament. It’s an impressive feat for the team’s first foray into a major league like PMPL MY/SG Season 1, after competing in the likes of last year’s Selangor Cyber Games (third place) and Axis PUBG Mobile League (APML) Grand Finals.

Here are the band of brothers that make up N.E.D Brotherhood:
Mohd Afdhal “Atai” bin Burihan – Support/Sniper/IGL (in-game leader)
Mohamad Saiful Annuar “Eypul” Bin Shahrom – Scouter/Flanker
Muhammad Mustaqim Chan xSyko bin Bilal Chan – Rusher/Fragger
Iskandar “Izz” bin Zulkernain – Rusher/Scouter
Muhammad Aiman “Chinpuy” bin Mohd Abd Razak – Support

Ahmad Nazim – Manager

Speaking on behalf of the team, captain Atai recalled how PMPL MY/SG Season 1 was a formative experience for N.E.D Brotherhood, having learnt that consistency is paramount to bagging better rankings in a PUBG Mobile esports competition. “Most importantly, we learnt that teamwork is the only way to go further.”

It’s a lesson they’ve been taking seriously up until now, with their preparation for PMPL MY/SG Season 2 centered around improving their team chemistry. Training includes scrimming together every weekday, along with gameplay analysis of other PUBG Mobile teams. Needless to say, N.E.D Brotherhood have made some game-changing tweaks to their play style, especially when they have a new coach onboard the team.

“He – as well as our manager, Nazim – have been helpful in giving ideas and strengthening our bond, chemistry and spirit,” said the team’s designated support sniper. “Thanks to our coach’s vast experience with PUBG, we’ve managed to improve certain aspects of our gameplay that we lacked last season.” It’s unintentional that we’ve yet to reveal who this mystery coach is, because Nazim refrained from disclosing his identity. “We will make the announcement to introduce him once we are ready,” he teased the writer, as well as fans of N.E.D Brotherhood. 

Aside from having a new coach, the Selangor Cyber Games 2020 champions saw two roster changes – LUXXY98 and xSamzie requested to leave the team and try their luck with another team, eventually settling down with EVOS ViP. “In N.E.D Esports, we won’t hold our players back from joining other teams,” said Nazim, who’s also a co-founder of the organisation. “We want them to grow as players, even if it means leaving us.” 

But, let’s not take the spotlight away from the newest members of N.E.D Brotherhood, which are xSyko and Izz. While the latter is a former Traitor Esports member, xSyko has actually been with N.E.D Esports since the esports organisation’s formation, albeit in a different N.E.D squad before Brotherhood. “He (xSyko) knows the team inside out,” the manager revealed, adding that they’ve been happy with the duo so far. It was no walk in the park for the pair to be certified as N.E.D Brotherhood members, as it’s always been the case since N.E.D Esports was founded in April 2019 by two close friends: Nazim and BossNed.

To create their debut roster, they had a five-day open tryout for aspiring e-athletes with different criteria to fulfil each player role. The top eight players were eventually selected and divided into two squads: N.E.D Brotherhood and N.E.D Proyecto X (now TARA Assassino). 

“We have gone through many rough patches and challenges way before and even after last season,” Nazim admitted, saying that instead of getting discouraged, the squad have become more eager and excited to compete this season. “These challenges were meant to push us forward and improve as a team. Each and every player, crew member and coach are closer than ever and are more like a family now.”

The end goal for N.E.D Brotherhood this season: to be a Malaysian representative in the next PMPL SEA Finals. “I have a good feeling that we will perform better in PMPL MY/SG Season 2.” 

Catch N.E.D Brotherhood in action LIVE on the official PUBG Mobile Facebook page.

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