ISLAMABAD: India has accepted Pakistan’s invitation to travel to Islamabad to participate in the West Asia Baseball Cup starting here at the Sports Complex arena from January 26.
Pakistan Baseball Federation (PBF) president Fakhar Ali Shah told ‘The News’ that the Indian team after getting permission from their government has submitted the required travelling documents with Pakistan Consulate in New Delhi.
“The Indian federation has submitted all the relevant documents with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. We have approached the Interior Ministry in Islamabad to help the Indian team get the visas and issue the required NOC so that their timely travel to Pakistan could be ensured. We are pleased that the India team has taken the required permission from their government and is willing to compete in the event starting in Islamabad from January 26,” Fakhar said.
Besides Pakistan and India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Palestine and Afghanistan are to compete in the six-day event.
“India’s inclusion in the championship will add more attraction to the competition. We will make all possible efforts to ensure the team's timely arrival. Bangladesh could only land in Lahore and they will reach Islamabad by road,” he said.
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) on the special directives of Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Ehsanur Rehman Mazari is making all-out efforts to prepare the venue for the international event.
“We are thankful to the minister and the National Assembly Standing Committee head for their cooperation to provide the best possible facilities to the visiting teams,” the Baseball federation’s president said.
Fakhar revealed that Nepal have also expressed their willingness to be part of the event.
“We cannot accommodate more than six international teams as it is our maximum limit. We have already confirmed entry to the participating teams hence we are unable to accommodate the seventh team.”
Sri Lanka are to defend their title which they had won in 2019 beating Pakistan in a nail-biter.
“Sri Lanka are one of the strongest outfits and hopefully apart from India, they will give us a tough fight.”
Fakhar added that foreign company’s services will be hired for the live coverage of the event. “We are planning to make the signals available to all sports channels, free of cost. But showing baseball live is a job of a professional company, the services of which will be hired by the federation.”
The federation’s chief also announced that Baseball Hall of Fame player Barry Larkin will travel to Pakistan as a special guest to watch the teams in action.
