Pakistan, India set to clash in semifinal of West Asia Baseball Cup

KARAJ, Iran: Arch-rivals Pakistan and India are all set to face off in the semifinal of the West Asia Baseball Cup on Tuesday. The tournament is currently being held in Karaj, Iran, and both teams are aiming for a spot in the final of this marquee tournament.

The competition is being organised by the Baseball Federation of Asia which is the Asian chapter of the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC) which in turn is affiliated to the International Olympic committee (IOC). The West Asia Baseball Cup features top teams from across the region battling for supremacy.

Pakistan enters the semi-final in red-hot form after delivering dominant performances in the group stage. The defending champions topped group B, winning both of their matches. They kicked off their campaign with a 10-6 victory over Bangladesh. They kicked off their campaign with a 10-6 victory over Bangladesh, a game that saw a dramatic start with Pakistan scoring six early runs but conceding five due to fielding errors. Bowler Syed Muhib Shah played a pivotal role in stabilising the team’s effort.

In their second group game, Pakistan routed host nation Iran 14-0, showcasing all-round dominance. Pakistan’s batters were relentless from the first inning, piling up 12 runs in the first three innings alone. Pitcher Muhammad Haris was exceptional, tossing six scoreless innings, striking out 13 batters, and allowing just two hits.

On the other hand, India finished second in group A, earning their semifinal spot after winning two of three group matches. Despite a shaky start with a 1-6 loss to Palestine, India bounced back by defeating Sri Lanka 3-2 and Afghanistan 12-4, displaying solid recovery. The second semifinal will see Palestine take on Iran, with both matches determining the finalists of this year’s tournament.