KARACHI: Pakistan’s baseball team got off to a winning start as they kicked off their campaign to defend the title in the West Asia Cup, beating Bangladesh by scoring 10-6 in a thrilling match on Friday in Iran.
Despite some early mistakes, the team fought back strongly to begin their title defence on a high note.
The game started dramatically, with Pakistan scoring six quick runs in the first inning. However, Bangladesh responded with five runs due to some fielding errors by Pakistan.
The turning point came when bowler Syed Muhib Shah stepped up, delivering an excellent performance to steady the team. He bowled brilliantly for nearly six innings, allowing just one run and leading Pakistan to victory.
Pakistan’s batting was led by Abdul Raziq, who continued his fine form with another solid hit, while Aashir Abbas and Muhammad Rehan also made important contributions with key runs.
The team showed great fighting spirit despite their shaky beginning, proving why they are the defending champions.
The match lasted for just three hours. In Pakistan’s next match, it will be facing Iran, the host country. With Bangladesh losing both of their games, Pakistan’s place in semi-final is already certain. Now, the game against Iran will determine their group position and opponents in the semi-final.