Agency :
Bangladesh men’s table tennis team made history on Saturday by becoming the first ever team from Bangladesh to make it to the quarter-final stage of men’s table tennis event of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Bangladesh won 3-0 against Fiji on Friday in their opening game. The men’s team needed another win to seal their place in the final eight.
On Friday, they did exactly that by defeating Guyana 3-2 to make history.
Ramhimlian Bawm and Mohutasin Ahmed defeated the duo of Jonathan Van Lange and Christopher Franklin in the team event by 3-2 sets.
Rifat Sabbir then lost in the single’s event to Shemar Britton by 3-2 sets.
Mohutasin then defeated Jonathon by 3-1 to give Bangladesh the advantage. But Guyana fought back as Britton beat Ramhim by 3-2.
The pressure was then on Sabbir, who was up against Franklin in a single’s bout. Mohutasin didn’t disappoint as he won by 3-2 to take Bangladesh to the final eight. Bangladesh is set to take part in its final group stage match against England at 5:00pm (Bangladesh Standard Time).
The President of the Bangladesh Olympic Association and the Chief of Army Staff General SM Shafiuddin Ahmed was present at the venue and announced a prize of Tk 50 thousand each for every member of the men’s team.
The Bangladeshi paddlers couldn’t train properly heading into the competition due to the ongoing renovation work at the Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium. They practiced at the verandah of the National Sports Council or at some other indoor venues.
