From Guwahati to Nagoya: Ubaidillah, Indonesia’s newest Badminton star

The youngster went from winning for Indonesia's junior team at India's Jr Worlds in October of 2025 to helping the powerhouse defeat mighty China 3-2 at Asian Games

3 min readSep 24, 2026 08:50 PM IST

Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah helped Indonesia defeat China to win the men's team event of Asian Games. (AP)

Mohammad Zaki Ubaidillah was playing at badminton’s World Championships just last October of 2025. He couldn’t quite nail down the Junior singles title, but the 19-year-old stepped up on the biggest stage to help Indonesia defeat China in the Men’s Team event of Asian Games, nicking the final rubber in a sensational 3-2 win where Indonesia bounced back from 0-2 down, with the help of youngsters.

Jonatan Christie lost to Shi Yuqi. 0-1. Then Liang Weikeng-Wang Chang defeated Fajar Alfian and Muh Shohibul Fikri, 20-22, 21-19, 21-14. 0-2 down.

But not out.

Indonesia’s scouting system that had picked the last two World Juniors contenders picked the baton. Alwi Farhan downed Li Shifeng 23-21, 15-21, 21-16. And then young Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin, dubbed LeoNiel, messed with the already confounded heads of He Jiting and Liu Yi, winning 23-21, 21-10. The scratch pair had been going for the same shuttle since the India semifinals.

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Then came the Cristiano Ronaldo fan, Ubaidillah, nick – Ubed. Playing the stubborn Weng Hong Yang, China’s trusted No 3 men’s singles, Ubed scored a stunning 23-21, 21-13 victory over the fritzy opponent to win a historic 6th Asian Games team gold for Indonesia. China are on 7.

There’s a reason Indonesia are gigantic in team events, always punching above the weight, never afraid of China and playing with a never-say-die attitude that gets passed down like a zealous DNA badminton gene.

Ubaidillah had spoken to The Indian Express last year, talking about what drove him to seeking excellence. “It’s my late grandfather. He loved badminton. And enjoyed it so much I always wanted to do well to make him happy. But he passed away before I got international wins,” he recalled.

The Asian Games have a special place for Indonesians. Ubed had watched Jojo Christie win the Asiad gold in 2018 Jakarta as a kid. “Jojo and (Antony) Ginting are huge role models. We all want to be like Ginting, and want to show we can be world beaters too. It’s not just about his speed which was best in the world, but I look up to him as a person, like you Indians look up to Kidambi (Srikanth) and HS (Prannoy),” he explained.

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“For pattern and tempo, it’s Lin Dan,” Ubed would say. “After Ginting, I also idolize Alwi who plays with such confidence,” he would say of the emerging superstar with wild overhead deceptive powers. “He gives me confidence.”

Indonesia and Istora suburbs broke out into celebrations as Ubed secured the win.

Last October he had spoken of improvements needed. “I wanna control my mind so that I don’t get too overconfident. Because as a youngster, we can lose balance and ger carried away,” he explained.

A former youngster he might be, but Ubed stepped up right when needed to hand China a loss for the ages. “I was already training at the best club when my grandfather passed away. But I want to prove I too have that special Indonesian technique, that fire to win. So I keep thinking of him and improving.”

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Ubed would play football and listen to music to switch off from badminton. The footwork was very Indonesian, very clinical. The smashes whistled as China were sent into a morose lament.

Shivani Naik

Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More

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