Others
Bangamata 6-Nations Volleyball: Bangladesh finishes 5th beating Maldives
Bangladesh women’s team finished 5th in the six-nation Bangamata Asian Central Zone Women’s Volleyball Challenge beating the Maldives by 3-2 sets at the Shaheed Suhrawardy National Indoor Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.
Bangladesh’s Women’s team completed their Asian engagements with winning note beating the Maldives by 17-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25 and 17-15 points in their 5th and last match after conceding four successive defeats in which they failed to win even a set -Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
READ: Asian Volleyball: Sri Lankan team arrive in Dhaka
In the event’s final, Uzbekistan will play Nepal on Tuesday while Kyrgyzstan will meet Sri Lanka in the 3rd place deciding match.
READ: Bangabandhu Volleyball: Nepal, Kyrgyzstan arrive in capital
Bangladesh’s Iconic Sports Achievements in 2021
Various sporting events around the world were postponed or canceled for the majority of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. However, many sports events were organized in accordance with health guidelines in 2021. The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games was the most significant of these. Bangladesh's performance at the Olympics was disappointing as usual. Bangladeshi athletes failed to win any medals in the Tokyo Olympics. Women performed better individually and in groups than males this year. The most noteworthy moments of Bangladesh sports in 2021 are discussed in this article.
2021 Year in Review: A Glimpse at the Notable Moments in Bangladesh Sports
Cricket and football are the most popular sports in Bangladesh. Bangladesh's men's teams had a disappointing year in these two sports. However, the Bangladesh women's cricket team and the Bangladesh Under-19 football team enjoyed significant success at the end of the year. Aside from that, Bangladeshi athletes have had great success in individual events. Let's take a look at some of Bangladesh's major sporting incidents in 2021.
Kabaddi
The Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation hosted the Bangabandhu Kabaddi Cup in the first quarter of the year. Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kenya, Poland, and Bangladesh, the host country, competed in the tournament. The men's Kabaddi team from Bangladesh won all of their games in the group stage. Bangladesh won the tournament by defeating Kenya 34-28 in the final. It was one of Bangladesh's most notable sporting successes in 2021.
Read Bangladesh Cricket in 2021: Performance Analysis by Series
Cricket
Bangladesh cricket saw various ups and downs in 2021. The men's cricket team of Bangladesh had a disastrous T20 World Cup 2021 campaign. They also lost a handful of Test series at home. Two of Bangladesh's men's cricket team's notable successes were winning the T20I series against Australia and New Zealand at home. In contrast to the men's team, the Bangladesh Women's National Team had a successful year. Bangladesh women's team qualified for the ICC One-Day International World Cup in 2022 after winning a bilateral series in Zimbabwe. The BCB was under fire from the media and supporters in the second half of the year.
Football
The Bangladesh national men's football team competed in FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the year 2021, a four-nation event, and the SAFF Championship. Bangladesh placed fifth in World Cup qualifying group F and third in the four-nation tournament. Despite a strong start to the campaign, Bangladesh finished fourth in the group stage of the SAFF Championship. Therefore, Bangladesh men's football team had a bad year in 2021.
Read Bangladesh’s U-19 SAFF Women’s Championship victory to serve as a harbinger of success in football
On the other hand, the Bangladesh U19 Women's team performed well throughout their campaign in the 2021 SAFF U19 Championship. They became the undefeated winners after defeating India 1-0 in the final. It was their second title in a row. The sports year 2021 in Bangladesh came to a close with this great achievement of women.
Field Hockey
Bangladesh hosted the Asian Hockey Champions Trophy for the first time in December. Bangladesh national men's hockey team was given the chance to play in the Champions Trophy for the first time as the host country. Malaysia was one of six teams invited to play, however, they were unable to compete due to coronavirus restrictions. Bangladesh was eliminated from the competition after losing all four matches in the group stage. South Korea won the championship for the first time after beating Japan 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
Read Traditional folk sports of rural Bangladesh: A look back
Archery
During the 2021 Archery World Cup, Ruman Shana and Diya Siddique took silver in the recurve mixed team event. In the final, Bangladesh finished second behind the Netherlands. Despite losing 5–1 in the final, it was Bangladesh's best result in an Archery World Championship. It was also the first time Bangladesh has reached the final of a World Cup event in Archery.
Weightlifting
Maksuda Akhter, the first Bangladeshi woman to compete in an international bodybuilding competition, participated in the IHFF Olympia Amateur Bodybuilding Championship in Mumbai. Out of 30 bodybuilders, Maksuda placed third.
She advanced to the top eight in the preliminary round and was chosen third runner-up in the final by the judges. Her victory was a watershed moment for her, and women in Bangladesh may take a lot of encouragement from it.
Read Memorable International Cricket Moments in 2021
Shooting
In total, 73 shooters from nine nations competed in the Bangabandhu tournament organized by the Bangladesh Shooting Sport Federation: India, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Singapore, and Bangladesh. Munna shone brightest among Bangladeshi shooters, claiming gold with a score of 626.8. While Syeda Atkia Hossain took silver with a score of 623.3 in the women's 10m air rifle event. Another Bangladeshi shooter, Shakil Ahmed won bronze in the air pistol event.
Bangladesh at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Six Bangladesh athletes competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics, representing four sports: archery, athletics, shooting, and swimming. In the mixed event of Archery, Ruman Shana and Diya Siddiqui were close to winning a medal in the event but were defeated by South Korea in the Round of 16.
In Athletics, sprinter Mohammad Jahir Rayhan failed to move to the next round. He was knocked out from the heat. Swimmers Mohammed Ariful Islam and Junayna Ahmed did not progress from their heats, while shooter Abdullah Hel Baki came in 41st place in the Men's 10-meter air rifle event. Overall, Bangladesh's participation in the 2020 Summer Olympics was a disappointment.
Read Achievements of Bangladesh in sports in 50 years since independence
Car Racing
Until recently, no one from Bangladesh had ever gained a reputation for himself on the world racing stage. Motorsport lover Avik Anwar, became the first Bangladeshi to finish third in the UAE Pro Car Championship in February 2021.
Later in November, Avik Anwar won the NGK Pro Car Championship with the Toyota GT86 Model Car at the Yas Marina Formula 1 track in the UAE, beating off Helal Almazrouei and Fahad Alzaabi. It was a significant milestone for him, and his efforts will undoubtedly inspire Bangladesh's motorsport enthusiasts.
Aftermath
When looking at the most memorable achievements of the sports in Bangladesh in 2021, it is clear that women have accounted for the majority of the successes. Therefore, more government support is required for women to succeed in the field of sports.
Read Top 10 Most Memorable Football Moments of 2021
Furthermore, each designated sports board must devote special emphasis to improving facilities for female athletes. Meanwhile, the men's cricket team of Bangladesh had a very poor showing in 2021. Some of the great triumphs of the Men's team have also sparked controversy.
On the other hand, the women's cricket team had a successful year. Similarly, Bangladesh's major football success came through its age-based women's team. Bangladesh has had an eventful year in the field of sports overall.
V-Day Handball: BGB clinch men’s crown; Ansar & VDP women’s title
Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) clinched men’s and Bangladesh Ansar & VDP the women’s titles of the Walton Victory Day Handball Tournament eliminating their rivals in the finals at the Shaheed (Capt) M Mansur Ali National Stadium here on Saturday.
Senior Executive Director of the meet’s sponsor Walton Group FM Iqbal Bin Anwar Dawn was the chief guest in the day’s closing function and later he distributed the prizes. General Secretary of Bangladesh Handball Federation Asaduzzaman Kohinoor was also present on the occasion.
Read: V-Day Handball: BGB, Police reach final
In the men’s final, BGB beat Bangladesh Ansar and VDP by 32-14 goal after dominating the first half 24-9 goal. Taju Islam of the champion team scored highest 10 goals and was adjudged the best player of the meet.
Victory Day Handball advance to final stage
The Walton Victory Day Men’s and Women’s Handball Tournaments advanced to the finals at the Shaheed Capt (Retd) M Mansur Ali National Handball Stadium here on Thursday.
Both the finals will be held on Saturday (Dec 25) morning at the same venue.
Bangladesh Ansar & VDP will play Jamalpur Sports Academy in the Women’s final at 10 am while Bangladesh Ansar & VDP will face Boarder Guard Bangladesh in the men’s final at 11:30 am on Saturday at the same venue.
Also read: Victory Day Handball Tournanent underway
In the day’s men’s first semifinal, Bangladesh Ansar & VDP defeated Tetulia Upazila Sports Association of Panchagarh by 36-17 goal after leading the first half by 13-11 goal.
In the day’s 2nd semifinal, Jamalpur Sports Academy eliminated Bangladesh Police Handball Club by 27-21 goal after dominating the first half by 13-9 goal.
Also read: Youth Handball: Panchagarh emerge champions beating Naogoan
UK study makes case for AstraZeneca boosters
A third dose of both the AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines significantly increased the immune response to the omicron variant, according to a new study by University of Oxford researchers.
The laboratory study, which hasn’t been peer reviewed yet, compared antibody levels in blood samples from people who received two doses of vaccine with samples from those who had received a third dose.
While two doses provided much less protection against omicron than earlier variants, levels of neutralizing antibodies rose sharply after a third dose, the study found.
Also read: Boosters key to fight omicron, lot still to learn
“In summary, neutralization titres against omicron are boosted following a third vaccine dose, meaning that the campaign to deploy booster vaccines should add considerable protection against omicron infection,” the researchers wrote.
The study also found that unvaccinated people who had recovered from COVID-19 probably have “little protection from reinfection with omicron,” though they may have some protection against serious illness.
Also read: Moderna: Initial booster data shows good results on omicron
Champs Trophy: Korea clinch title beating Japan 4-2 in tiebreaker
South Korea emerged as the new king of the Men’s Asian Champions Trophy beating Japan by 4-2 goals in a tiebreaker at Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here on Wednesday.
They clinched the title of the 6th edition of the five-nation Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Hockey’ 2021 beating Japan in penalty shootout as the final match between two teams was locked in 3-3 goals in the stipulated period.
READ: Champs Trophy Hockey: India finish 3rd beating Pakistan 4-3
The two finalists also played 3-3 draw in the round robin league stage of the meet.
South Korean veteran defender Jang Jong Hyun, who made a hat-trick against India in the semifinal scoring four goals, emerged as the highest scorer of the championship, bagging 10 goals while Indian defender Harmanpreet Singh followed him with eight goals.
Earlier in the 3rd place deciding play-off match, India finished 3rd beating their traditional sub-continental rivals Pakistan by 4-3 goals Wednesday afternoon.
After the day’s seven goals thriller, India clinched the bronze medal of the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey’21 after lifting the bronze medal in this year’s Tokyo Olympics.
India also defeated Pakistan by 3-1 goals in the round robin league stage of the ongoing meet to finish top of the points table, securing nine points in four matches with three wins and a draw against Korea.
Two joint champions of the last meet in 2018 and the South Asian giants of the Asian Hockey India and Pakistan miserably eliminated from the continental hockey in the semifinals last Tuesday.
Japan emerged as surprise finalists stunning hot favorite India by 5-3 goals while Korea entered the final frustrating Pakistan by 6-5 goals in keenly contested semis.
In the day’s play-off, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Varun Kumar and Akashdeep Singh scored one each for India while Arfraz Khan, Abdul Rana and Nadeem contributed one each for Pakistan.
Indian captain Manpreet Singh was adjudged the player of the match displaying his brilliance in the midfield of the match.
Champs Trophy Hockey: India finish 3rd beating Pakistan 4-3
India finished 3rd in the 6th edition of the five-nation Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy Hockey’ 2021 beating their traditional sub-continental rivals by 4-3 goals in a 3rd place play-off match at Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here on Wednesday. After the day’s seven goals thriller, India clinched the bronze medal of the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey’21 after lifting the bronze medal in this year’s Tokyo Olympics. Earlier, India also defeated Pakistan by 3-1 goals in the round robin league stage of the ongoing meet to finish top of the points table, securing nine points in four matches with three wins and a draw against Korea. Two joint champions of the last meet in 2018 and the South Asian giants of the Asian Hockey India and Pakistan miserably eliminated from the continental hockey in the semifinals on Tuesday. Japan emerged as surprise finalists stunning hot favorite India by 5-3 goals while Korea entered the final frustrating Pakistan by 6-5 goals in keenly contested semis. In the day’s play-off, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Varun Kumar and Akashdeep Singh scored one each for India while Arfraz Khan, Abdul Rana and Nadeem contributed one each for Pakistan. Indian captain Manpreet Singh was adjudged the player of the match displaying his brilliance in the mid field of the match.
Christmas Traditions in European Football Leagues
December signifies the beginning of worldwide preparations for the New Year and Christmas celebrations. However, western countries are the most opulent in terms of celebration because of the great number of Christians. Christmas is observed across Europe by the cultures and customs of various countries. Football matches on Boxing Day are quite popular in the United Kingdom. However, other European football leagues take winter break during this time of the year. Let's have a look at how major football leagues in Europe celebrate Christmas.
Football Leagues in Europe at Christmas
Premier League football has recently taken up a large part of England's Christmas celebrations. Therefore, footballers in the English Premier League find it difficult to spend Christmas with their families. Though players from other European leagues spend quality time with their families. Let's look at some of the major leagues over the holiday season.
Read Akram to stay in his BCB position for now, next decision on Dec 24: Nazmul
Christmas in the Premier League of England
During the Christmas season, the English Premier League is the only football competition that takes place. Players don't get a vacation over the holidays because many league games are planned around Christmas and New Year's Day.
English teams used to play football games on Christmas Day in the past, but this habit changed in the 1950s, as December 25 was designated as a family day only. As a result, Boxing Day football became a tradition in the United Kingdom.
Premier League teams that play on Boxing Day must practice on Christmas Day in order to stay sharp. Teams normally practice twice as much for away games, and they also travel on Christmas Eve to stay overnight. Teams who are lucky enough to be playing at home on Boxing Day typically have a morning workout so that they may spend time with their family for the Christmas party.
Read Bangladesh-New Zealand Test Series: Three Inspiring Knocks From Bangladeshi Batters
It is tough for Premier League players to adjust to the custom. Players frequently have to practice when many families in the UK are enjoying a traditional Christmas feast since they have crucial matches throughout the festive season. It is always chilly at this time of year, and rain, snow, and hail are common. Players from all clubs usually visit local hospitals during the Christmas period.
Christmas in Europe's Other Major Leagues
Unlike England, all of Europe's major leagues are closed for two weeks over the holiday season. Though, fans from those leagues have increased their voices to have football matches scheduled at this time so that they may enjoy like the way British fans do in the English Premier League.
Boxing Day has always attracted the interest of coaches in other European football leagues. In 2018, the Italian Serie A attempted to schedule several matches around the Christmas season. However, their efforts did not go as planned. The stadium attendance and the broadcast audience were both low for the fixtures. The lack of a winter break harmed players' performance and increased their risks of becoming injured.
Read Champions Trophy Hockey: Korea V Japan final after South Asian favourites eliminated
A few months later, Serie A declared that the usual two-week Christmas vacation break will be resumed. In this regard, there are also cultural and customary reasons for not holding matches during holiday seasons.
Footballers, like everyone else, enjoy a pleasant holiday with their loved ones because there are no football games over the Christmas season.
Bottom Line
People in Europe get plenty of time to celebrate because of the Christmas and New Year holidays. Therefore, the English Football League usually plans to host a large number of games at the time. Footballers are likewise preoccupied with preparation for the match after spending time with their families on Christmas Day, and as a consequence, they do not have much time to enjoy. On the other hand, footballers in other European leagues usually go for a vacation with their family to spend Christmas because of winter break. Overall, the Christmas season is a happy occasion for everybody in Europe.
Read Top 10 Most Memorable Football Moments of 2021
Champions Trophy Hockey: Korea V Japan final after South Asian favourites eliminated
Japan and South Korea stormed into the final of the 6th edition of the Hero Men’s Asian Champions Trophy 2021, shocking joint defending champions India and Pakistan in nerve shattering semifinals at the Maulana Bhashani National Stadium here on Tuesday.
South Korea will play Japan in the final on Wednesday at 6 pm while two traditional subcontinental rivals India and Pakistan will meet each other in the 3rd place deciding match earlier at 3:30 pm at the same venue.
The round robin match between the finalists had ended in an exciting 3-3 draw, while India beat Pakistan 3-1 when they met in the group phase.
In the day’s first semifinal, South Korea eliminated former World and Olympics Champions Pakistan 6-5 in an 11-goal thriller, featuring four goals by Jang Jong Hyun.
Korea and Pakistan had qualified for the semifinals in 2nd and 3rd slots respectively with only one win, against hosts Bangladesh.
Read: Both semis of Asian Champions Trophy Hockey Tuesday
In the day’s 2nd semi, India, the Olympics bronze medalists and only unbeaten team in the ongoing meet, made their exit from the prestigious Asian meet after suffering their first defeat losing to Japan 5-3 in Tuesday’s second semifinal.
With the day’s well-merited victory, Japan not only qualified for the final of the prestigious meet for the first time since 2013 with their first victory against India after suffering 17 consecutive defeats, but also took sweet revenge for a 6-0 drubbing in the league stage of this year’s meet.
In the keenly contested first semis, captain Umar Bhutta put Pakistan ahead in the very 3rd minute with a spectacular field goal (1-0) while Jang Jong Hyun leveled the margin for Korea in the 11th minute from penalty stroke (1-1)
In the following minute, Jang Jong Hyun put Korea ahead from behind scoring his 2nd goal, also from a penalty stoke to lead the first quarter (2-1) . Korea got penalty stroke when Shakil Butt of Pakistani pushed a Korean player inside the D area.
Junaid Manzoor of Pakistan neutralized the match in the 22nd minute tapping ball home (2-2).
Jang Jong Hyun of Korea completed hat-trick in the 24th minute from penalty corner (3-2).
Afroz again leveled Pakistan margin in the 29th minute by a field goal after playing discipline game (3-3) while Jihun Yang of Korea again neutralized the match from a penalty corner in the dying moment of the 2nd quarter (4-3) .
Junwoo Jeong further sounded the Korean margin in the dying moment of the 3rd quarter by a field goal utilizing a lapse of Pakistani defender Mubashar Ali (5-3).
Mubashar Ali reduced the Pakistan margin in the 47th minute by a penalty corner (5-4).
The match turned into an exciting stage when Mubashar Ali leveled the margin in the 51st minute converting another penalty corner (5-5).
But lady luck finally smiled on Korea when their hattrick maker Jang Jong Hyun hit the match-winner scoring his 4th goal in the 55th minute (6-5) to the frustration of former World and Olympics champions Pakistan.
Jang was adjudged the man of the match.
Read: Asian Champions Trophy Hockey: Pakistan play 3-3 draw with Korea
Besides, Korean goalie Jaehyeon Kim also deserved appreciation for foiling a good number of Pakistani attempts.
In the second semi, Japan took advantage of a fast start, quickly racing to a 2-0 lead in the first quarter. Although India quickly clawed a goal back in the second quarter, Japan earned a penalty just before half-time that Kirishita converted to restore the 2-goal advantage.
The third quarter proved fatal for India, as Japan again came flying out of the blocks and scored twice, through Kosei Kawabe and then Ooka.
Although the Indians tried to mount a brave comeback in the final quarter, it was never going to be enough, except for restoring some pride to the scoresheet, as the game ended 5-3 to Japan.
Bangabandhu Volleyball: Nepal, Kyrgyzstan arrive in capital
Two foreign teams -- Nepal and Kyrgyzstan --arrived here on Monday to join the six-nation Bangabandhu Asian Central Zone Challenge Cup Volleyball Championship, beginning on Thursday.
Six participating countries -- Nepal, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and host Bangladesh — will compete in the six-day meet in men’s and women’s sections at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium in Mirpur.
READ: Premier Volleyball: Holders Titas Club to play PDB in final on Wednesday
All the six teams will compete in the women’s section while five teams, except Kyrgyzstan, will participate in the men’s section of the meet.
Bangladesh Men’s team finished runners-up in the championship held in Dhaka in 2018 while Bangladesh Women’s team was placed 4th in the next year’s meet.