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Top Table Tennis players in Bangladesh of All Time
There are many big stars in other sports besides cricket and football. They have been shining in their own field silently. Here we will talk about those big stars of a small game, Table Tennis. Usually, Table Tennis players don’t get highlights like other big games. But they are silently representing Bangladesh in international arenas.
We have listed the top Bangladeshi table tennis players of all time. We have considered both retired and current players while making this list.
Zobera Rahman Linu
Zobera Rahman Linu is considered the Queen of table tennis in Bangladesh. She dominated the women’s table tennis section for more than two decades. This athlete has taken herself to a unique height and has spread Bangladesh’s name in the world. Furthermore, Linu won the National Championship 18 times, which led her to the Guinness Book of the World record.
Read How to become a professional table tennis player in Bangladesh: An overall guideline
Linu started her national career at the age of 12 in 1977 and became the national champion. After that, she won the championship 16 times from 1979 to 2011. Besides, she also won table tennis three times in Bangladesh games in 1988, 92, and 96.
Due to her outstanding performance and contribution to table tennis, Zobera Rahman Linu won many awards throughout his career. She holds more than 150 table tennis championship awards from different countries.
Read Memorable Match Winning Knocks in Tests
Tigers start T20 series vs New Zealand with big defeat
Bangladesh national cricket team continued on losing streak after losing the ODI series 3-0, they lost the three-match T20Is series opener against New Zealand on Sunday by 66 runs.
Devon Conway and Will Young took the game away from the Tigers hitting unbeaten 92 and 53 respectively. Riding on their batting efforts, New Zealand posted 210 for three at the Seddon Park, Hamilton.
In reply, Bangladesh tumbled for 144 for eight in 20 overs and lost the game by 66 runs. Afif Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin and Mohammad Naim offered some resistance, but that wasn’t enough to avoid a big defeat.
Ltion Das failed once again to come up with an effective innings as he fell prey to Tim Southee, the New Zealand captain, for four. After Southee’s initial blow, hosts’ leg-spinner Ish Sodhi bagged four wickets conceding 28 runs in four overs. In the absence of Mushfiqur Rahim, the onus was on Soumya Sarkar, Mohammad Mithun and Mahmudullah Riyad to bat well, but they failed to do so.
Also read; New Zealand post 210 in 1st T20I vs Bangladesh
Coming to bat at number six, Afif scored 33-ball 45 with five fours and one six while Saifuddin smashed an unbeaten 34 off 34 deliveries and Naim scored 27 off 18 balls with five fours.
For New Zealand, Sodhi bagged four wickets while Lockie Ferguson took two wickets.
Earlier, New Zealand lost their first wicket to the debutant Nasum Ahmed. In spite of this blow, they posted a big total riding on the second and third wicket stands.
In the second wicket stand, New Zealand added 57 runs with the help of Martin Guptill and Devon Conway, who is on good form for a while now.
Inside the powerplay, New Zealand lost only a wicket. But in the very next over, Mahedi Hasan removed Guptil for 35. In the third wicket stand, Conway and Martin Guptill added 105 runs off 60 balls. They were destructive against the Bangladeshi bowling attack.
Also read: Key T20I Records between Bangladesh and New Zealand
Glenn Phillips hit 24 off 10 balls coming into the crease at number five. With his blazing batting display, New Zealand passed the 200-run mark.
For Bangladesh, Nasum bagged two wickets while Mahedi took one. Shoriful Islam, the other debutant of Bangladesh, had a bad day at the office as he conceded as many as 50 runs in his four overs.
Also read: Bangladesh vs New Zealand T20 Series 2021: Who can replace Tamim in the opening slot?
The remaining matches of this series will take place on March 30 and April 1 at McLean Park, Napier and Eden Park, Auckland respectively.
How to become a professional table tennis player in Bangladesh: An overall guideline
In the era of football and cricket, table tennis (TT), also known as ping pong, seems to be losing its appeal, though it did not have any sort of popularity. Currently, you may see the madness for table tennis in the university common rooms. Other than that, you will hardly see a TT professional player except a few who want to play in the national and international tournaments. This article will focus on those players who want to grow themselves as professionals. We will discuss becoming a professional table tennis player in Bangladesh.
Important factors to consider to become a professional table tennis player
You cannot become a superstar player overnight. Years of practice and experience can make your path clear. However, there are some other factors you need to consider to become a table tennis player.
Physical attributes
Good physical attributes are necessary, which include power, fitness, agility, speed, balance, and more. You can get all of them through training.
Read Key T20I Records between Bangladesh and New Zealand
Early inception
If anyone aims to be a professional player, starting practicing at a very young age is highly beneficial. Because at a young age, players can concentrate more than in the older. However, if you are a parent and want to build your child as a table tennis player, you may follow this.
Regular practice
There is a proverb, “practice makes a man perfect.” A regular and large quantity of practice is necessary to become a professional player. Nevertheless, it is necessary for all types of sports.
Read Shakib's 34th Birthday: 34 achievements to celebrate the no.1 all-rounder
Practice against high-level opposition
Whenever you practice against someone who is better than you, you will certainly develop your playing skill. So, always aim to get a high-level partner.
Professional set-up
Always try to practice in a professional set-up. It will give you enough confidence for the tournaments, and you will not feel nervous when playing in the big tournaments.
Also read: Tokyo Olympic organizers to meet March 20 on fate of overseas spectators
Top Bangladeshi Golf Players of All Time
Bangladesh does not have any mesmerizing history in golf. But professional golf players in Bangladesh are trying their best to create some history. So far, only one golf player from Bangladesh has shed light on an international event. Siddikur Rahman is the man who created history for Bangladesh. However, there are some other players who are also doing good.
On that note, we have listed top Bangladeshi Golf players who have been giving some hope. Without further ado, let's get into the details. As of March 2021, the following golfers have been carrying Bangladesh.
Best Golf Players in Bangladesh
Siddikur Rahman
Bangladeshi Golfer Siddikur Rahman came to the limelight in 2016 when he directly qualified for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. In that year, Rahman was in the top 60 in the professional golf ranking in the Asian region. He was the first-ever Bangladeshi player to qualify Olympics directly before Bangladeshi golfers needed to go through the wild card entry process.
Nicknamed 'Tiger of Dhaka' was born on 20 November 1984. Siddikur turned into a professional golfer in 2005 and later joined the Professional Golf Tour of India in 2006. After that, he gradually improved his playing and joined the Asian Tour in 2009.
Also read; How to become a professional golf player in Bangladesh: An overall guideline
In 2010, Siddikur Rahman won the Asian Tour event at Brunei Open and became the first-ever Bangladeshi golf player with that. The 39-year-old Bangladeshi golfer has attended 23 events so far and ranked at 893 in Official World Golf Ranking.
Md Zamal Hossain Mollah
Md Zamal Hossain Mollah got his first professional win in 2019 at 'Bengal Open 2019 presented by Department of Tourism, Govt of West Bengal powered by Tollygunge Club.' However, he started professional golf in 2011 but could not get enough pace to show some extraordinary performance. His second-best outcome came in 2018 at the BTI Open.
Torch relay for Tokyo Olympics kicks off its 121-day journey
The torch relay for the postponed Tokyo Olympics began its 121-day journey across Japan on Thursday and is headed toward the opening ceremony in Tokyo on July 23.
The relay began in northeastern Fukushima prefecture, the area that was devastated by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and the meltdown of three nuclear reactors. About 18,000 died in the tragedy.
Also Read: Tokyo Olympics postponed
The first runner with the torch was Azusa Iwashimizu, a key player in the Japan team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2011.
Wearing a white track suit, she carried the torch out of the J-Village indoor soccer training center and was surrounded by 14 other members of that 2011 World Cup squad and coach Norio Sasaki at the rear. They were also decked out in white track suits.
Also Read: Speculation over Tokyo Olympics: 2021, 2032 or not at all?
The ceremony was closed to the public because of the fear of spreading COVID-19 but was streamed live.
“The torch of Tokyo 2020 will become a bright light for hope for Japanese citizens and citizens in the world and a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Seiko Hashimoto, the president of the local organizing committee and a former Olympian herself.
Homare Sawa, the biggest star on the 2011 team, missed the ceremony. She is being treated for a condition affecting her inner ear and had to withdraw from the event.
Fans were told to social-distance along the roadside as the torch passes, and they were to refrain from loud cheering. Organizers have said they will stop or reroute the relay if crowding becomes a problem during the four-month parade.
Spectators cooperated in Naraha Town, just down the road from where the torch started its trip. A few hundred people stood on the roadside and were safely spread out.
“At first I didn’t think much of it,” said 20-year-old Takumu Kimura. “But when I actually saw it, it felt like: — yes, it’s the Olympics.”
Setsuko Hashimoto, a 63-year-old local resident, was emotional as the torch passed.
“Ten years ago there was a nuclear accident so (seeing the torch) it felt like I could really look forward to something and live,” she said. “When you become my age, this is the last Tokyo Olympics and it’s here. It was very touching.”
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga chimed in from Tokyo with a statement.
“The Olympic torch relay starting from today is a valuable opportunity for the people to get a real sense of the Olympics and Paralympics that are approaching,” Suga told reporters.
Local organizers and the International Olympic Committee hope the relay will turn public opinion in Japan in favor of the Olympics. Sentiments expressed in polls in Japan so far are overwhelmingly negative with about 80% suggesting another delay or cancellation.
The relay and the Olympics both stir fear that the events could spread the virus. There is also opposition to the soaring cost of staging the Olympics, now put officially at $15.4 billion. Several audits suggest it’s twice that much and a University of Oxford study says these are the most expensive Olympics on record.
The relay is a big test for the upcoming Olympics with fear among the public that the event could spread the virus to rural and more isolated parts of the country. Vaccinations have not been rolled out yet in Japan to the general public. About 9,000 deaths in the country have been attributed to COVID-19.
About 10,000 runners are expected to take part, with the relay touching Japan’s 47 prefectures.
After the postponement a year ago, there was early talk of eliminating the relay to save money. However, that idea was quickly dropped with the relay heavily sponsored by Coca-Cola and Toyota.
The relay is a prelude to the difficulties the Olympics and Paralympics will present with 15,400 athletes entering Japan, along with thousands of other officials, judges, VIPs, media, and broadcasters.
Athletes will be kept in a “bubble” like atmosphere in Tokyo and will be limited to the Athletes Village on Tokyo Bay, the competition venues and training areas. Most others will be outside the bubble and will be kept at a distance from the athletes.
Organizers announced a few days ago that fans from abroad will be banned from attending the Olympics and Paralympics. Most volunteers from abroad have also been ruled out.
Organizers are to announce the venue capacities in April. Ticket revenue for the Olympics was to be $800 million but will be severely reduced by the lack of fans. Japanese government entities will have to make up the shortfall.
How to become a professional golf player in Bangladesh: An overall guideline
Bangladesh Golf Federation (BGF) was established in 1998 but is still crawling in the golf sector. Throughout these years, the country has found many professional golf players, but only one or two players could reach the international level. Although golf is not our local game, BGF is trying to build top-class players. Becoming a professional golfer is not a piece of cake, especially when it is not a local game.
Enough dedication and perseverance are highly essential to become a professional golf player. If you are looking for a guideline to become a professional golf player in Bangladesh, read on to get familiar.
Understand the Golf Game
While we understand the most local or popular games easily, golf is different from these. Playing golf is tricky. Therefore, you will need to understand the broker hitting the club. As a newbie or a parent who wants to teach golf to their child, you can search on google or YouTube about understanding golf. After you get acquainted with it, you may proceed to the next step.
Unlike other countries, Bangladesh’s perspective is different in a golf game. So, the first thing would be taking training courses.
Golf Training Course in Bangladesh
Bangladesh Golf Academy offers tuition courses for all types of golfers regardless of the experience. So, beginners, junior golfers, and regular players can get into the tuition according to their needs.
Also read: Salahuddin wins Sikder Group Independence Cup Golf Tournament 2020
Following are some of the tuition offered by the Bangladesh Golf Academy.
Shakib returns home from USA tonight
After an interview that literally rocked the cricketing fraternity of the country, Bangladesh all rounder Shakib Al Hasan is set to get back home from the USA tonight (Bangladesh Time), an official at Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) confirmed UNB.
Tokyo Olympic organizers to meet March 20 on fate of overseas spectators
The organizers of this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics will hold an online meeting on Saturday and most likely agree that overseas spectators will not be allowed to attend the games amid the coronavirus pandemic, officials familiar with the schedule said Thursday.