Bangladesh on the Brink of History! Javed–Khei Khei Duo Storm into the Final after Beating Bahrain
Bangladesh have made sporting history at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh, advancing to the table tennis mixed doubles final for the first time. The impressive pairing of Javed Ahmed and Khei Khei Marma overcame Bahrain with a 3–1 set victory in Thursday’s semi-final, guaranteeing at least a silver medal and a chance to fight for gold.
Their next challenge will be Turkey in the final, scheduled for 8:30 PM Bangladesh time on Thursday. A victory would mark Bangladesh’s first-ever gold medal in table tennis at the Islamic Solidarity Games—a landmark achievement for the nation.
Earlier in the competition, Bangladesh reached the quarter-finals after defeating Guyana, then advanced to the semis by beating Maldives. Against Bahrain, Javed and Khei Khei delivered a commanding performance with set scores of 13–11, 7–11, 12–10, and 11–3.
Reaching the semi-finals automatically guaranteed a bronze medal, but Bangladesh were not content to stop there. With silver now secured, the nation is firmly focused on turning it into gold.
Bangladesh’s Medal Tally – 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games
| Sport | Athlete(s) | Event | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table Tennis | Javed Ahmed & Khei Khei Marma | Mixed Doubles | Silver (secured) |
| Weightlifting | Marzia Akter | Snatch | Bronze |
| Weightlifting | Marzia Akter | Clean & Jerk | Bronze |
| Weightlifting | Marzia Akter | Total | Bronze |
So far, Bangladesh have claimed one silver and three bronze medals, making a total of four medals in this year’s event.
The 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games, which began on 7 November and will continue until 21 November, feature nearly 3,000 athletes from 57 countries. Bangladesh are represented by 36 athletes competing across 10 events.
This marks Bangladesh’s 11th overall medal in the history of the Games. The country previously won one silver and two bronze medals in Turkey (2022) and one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals in Azerbaijan (2017).
With Javed and Khei Khei’s stellar form, Bangladesh are now on the verge of a new golden chapter—could this be the nation’s first-ever table tennis gold at the Islamic Solidarity Games?
