Kha Y Tran On January 29, 2026, in the group stage of the LPL Cup 2026, ThunderTalk Gaming (TT) faced off against Ninjas in Pyjamas (NiP) in a Best-of-3 series that was seen as a chance for TT to regain confidence. However, contrary to expectations, NiP showcased overwhelming superiority and secured a convincing 2–0 victory.
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General Assessment of the Pick & Ban Phase
Overall, NiP beat TT from the drafting table. They showed thorough preparation, read their opponents well, and built team compositions with very clear win conditions. In contrast, TT’s picks were rather disjointed and lacked synergy in execution.
NiP focused on banning TT’s comfort champions and familiar strategies, especially in the jungle and mid lane. This forced TT into unfamiliar matchups. With strong teamfight-oriented compositions, NiP prioritized champions with powerful engage, solid protection for the AD carry, and consistent late-game damage. As a result, they always had the upper hand in 5v5 fights — something clearly demonstrated in both games.
On the other side, TT selected several individually strong champions that did not work well together in terms of tempo and teamfighting. When it came to fights, they had no clear way to engage or disengage. TT’s compositions required an early advantage, but once NiP pressured them from the start, TT completely lost their win condition. Their AD carry was often isolated in fights due to a lack of effective peel or counter-engage.
Match Breakdown
Game 1: NiP Control the Game from Start to Finish
In the opening game, NiP quickly showed they were the more proactive side, both in draft and in execution. From the early minutes, NiP’s jungler applied constant pressure on both side lanes, helping their laners gain small but steady advantages.
At the 7-minute mark, NiP secured First Blood with a clean tower dive in the bottom lane. From that point on, the game tilted entirely in their favor. TT looked confused in vision control and repeatedly allowed NiP to secure major objectives such as the Rift Herald and Dragons.
Teamfights around the Dragon pit were the biggest difference. NiP moved as a unit, entered and exited fights cleanly, and always finished targets more effectively. Meanwhile, TT often went into fights on the back foot, lacking damage and giving their AD carry poor positioning.
After securing the first Baron at 22 minutes, NiP accelerated the pace of the game. TT’s outer structures fell one by one. By minute 29, NiP closed out the game with a dominant kill score and a massive gold lead, taking a 1–0 series advantage.
Game 2: NiP Speed Up, TT Completely Collapses
In the second game, TT tried to change their approach in hopes of creating a surprise. However, NiP once again controlled the laning phase. This time, they played even faster and more decisively.
As early as the 5th minute, NiP picked up two quick kills in the top side of the map. TT not only lost their footing but also allowed NiP to snowball far too quickly. TT’s attempts at counterplays were ineffective, as NiP were always ready to back each other up.
By minute 15, NiP already held a lead of over 5,000 gold — an almost insurmountable gap at LPL level. Every time TT tried to force a fight, NiP calmly turned it around. NiP’s team composition worked together flawlessly, protecting their carries and giving TT no room for a comeback.
When the second Baron went over to NiP, the outcome was essentially decided. TT defended desperately but could not hold their outer turrets. At minute 25, NiP marched into the enemy base and ended the game, sealing a clean 2–0 victory.
Key Highlights
- NiP completely controlled all major objectives: Dragons, Rift Heralds, and Barons. TT had almost no chance to contest fairly.
- In every 5v5 teamfight, NiP were better organized: clean engages and disengages, strong peel for their carries, and efficient target focus.
- NiP kept up constant early pressure, leaving TT no time to farm or scale — the only win condition TT had.
- All NiP players performed consistently, especially the top laner and the AD carry, who repeatedly created advantages in crucial fights.
- TT’s disjointed movement, poor vision control, and lack of peel caused them to lose most of the decisive moments.
Conclusion
The win over TT helped Ninjas in Pyjamas further solidify their position in the LPL Cup 2026 standings. They displayed a disciplined playstyle, excellent map control, and highly effective teamfighting — exactly what you would expect from a team with big ambitions.
On the other hand, ThunderTalk Gaming still showed many unresolved issues: lack of coordinated movement, weak objective control, and insufficient sharpness in teamfight execution. If they do not improve soon, TT will face even greater difficulties in the next stages of the tournament.
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