Team Spirit Takes Down Astralis to Win PGL Astana 2025 Title

Team Spirit, the Russian powerhouse, took home the PGL Astana 2025 trophy after a commanding 3-1 victory over Astralis in the grand finals.

Held at Barys Arena in Astana, Kazakhstan from May 10 to May 18, the event featured 16 of the world's best Counter-Strike 2 teams fighting for their share of a $1.25 million prize pool.

This win marks Team Spirit’s second CS2 title of the year, further cementing their dominance on the global stage.

The Rise of donk

At the center of Spirit’s success is 18-year-old phenom Danil “donk” Kryshkovets, who once again delivered a tournament-winning performance. His sharp aim, confident plays, and game-changing clutches earned him MVP honors, adding yet another achievement to his rapidly growing legacy.

One analyst summed it up best:

“There are moments where Spirit looks shaky, and it’s usually when donk cools off. But when he’s locked in — there’s nobody like him.”

That statement rang especially true on Nuke, where donk pulled off a jaw-dropping 1v4 clutch that swung the momentum and left Astralis mentally rattled heading into the next maps.

Grand Final Map Recap

• Map 1 – Dust 2 (Spirit’s pick):Spirit came out swinging with a dominant 13-5 win, shutting down Astralis early and never letting them back into the game.

• Map 2 – Nuke (Astralis’s pick):A back-and-forth battle saw Astralis jump to a 4-0 lead, but key clutch plays from Chopper and donk sealed a close win for Spirit without needing overtime.

• Map 3 – Mirage (Spirit’s pick):Astralis responded with fire. Despite an early 4-0 lead from Spirit, stavn took control and helped secure a 13-5 win, outfragging even donk.

• Map 4 – Train (Astralis’s pick):The deciding map started in Astralis’s favor with a 7-2 lead. But Spirit clawed their way back to force overtime, where their fast-paced aggression overwhelmed Astralis for a 16-13 win — and the championship.

A Record-Breaking Finale

The grand final didn’t just deliver in gameplay — it made history. According to Esports Charts, the match hit a peak viewership of 920,009, making it the most-watched esports event in Kazakhstan’s history.

It’s also the most-viewed non-Major CS2 event in PGL history and their top event of 2025 so far.

Team Spirit’s win may have come during a tournament that lacked some major contenders like Falcons and Vitality.