Dota 2: T1 part ways with Karl, Gabbi ahead of TI11 regional qualifiers

• T1 part ways with longtime midlaner Karl "Karl" Baldovino and carry player Kim "Gabbi" Villafuerte

• Karl had been with the team since October 2020 while Gabbi only joined this February

• The roster moves come after T1 failed to secure a direct invite to The International 11

South Korea-based organisation T1 announced on Thursday (11 August) that their Southeast Asian Dota 2 team will be undergoing a roster overhaul, starting with the departures of longtime midlaner Karl "Karl" Baldovino and carry player Kim "Gabbi" Villafuerte.

Karl had been T1's midlaner since October 2020, seeing the team through its early days in the Dota 2 scene and its eventual rise to become one of the best teams in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Gabbi joined T1 in February to replace Nuengnara "23savage" Teeramahanon, who left to join Talon Esports.

Karl and Gabbi's departures from T1 notably comes after the team's disappointing 5th place finish in the 2021-2022 Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) Summer Tour regional league for Southeast Asia.

As a result, the team failed to qualify for the ongoing PGL Arlington Major and could no longer earn more DPC points for a direct invite to The International 11 (TI11), meaning they will have to earn their place there through the regional qualifiers.

T1's recent lacklustre showings are in stark contrast to their solid performance earlier in this season as well as the previous 2021 DPC season.

This season, T1 finished the Winter and Spring Tour regional leagues in third place and even placed second in the Winter Tour Regional Finals.

In the 2021 season, T1 was undoubtedly the best team in Southeast Asia. The team placed third in the season's first Tour and then won the second to earn a spot in the WePlay AniMajor, where they finished in third place.

T1's strong showing in the 2021 season also earned them a direct invite to TI10, where they bowed out in 7th-8th place.

T1 will be looking to make their return to TI with a revamped roster, with Carlo "Kuku" Palad, Kenny "Xepher" Deo, and Matthew "Whitemon" Filemon remaining on the team.

T1 is expected to announce Karl and Gabbi's replacements ahead of the T11 regional qualifiers, which will start on 3 September.

TI11 is this year's iteration of Dota 2's marquee million-dollar world championship tournament. It will be hosted in Singapore in October, featuring a revamped format with 30 participating teams and a new Last Chance Qualifier.

T1 Dota 2 roster:

1. TBD

2. TBD

3. Carlo "Kuku" Palad

4. Kenny "Xepher" Deo

5. Matthew "Whitemon" Filemon

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