Pakistan’s baseball team continued their dominant run in the West Asia Baseball Cup, crushing India with a one-sided 14-1 victory in the semifinal held in Karaj, Iran, on Tuesday.
The match was called off after seven innings under the mercy rule due to Pakistan’s overwhelming lead, leaving no room for India to recover.
The defending champions started strong, scoring five runs in both the first and third innings, taking full command early in the game.
Third baseman Hussain played a leading role in the win, scoring four runs and contributing two RBIs while going 2-for-4. Center fielder Wasim Akram and designated hitter Muhammad Rehan added to the scoreboard with a combined total of four hits and four RBIs.
Starting pitcher Muhammad Haris gave a solid performance, allowing only one earned run and striking out four batters in 4.1 innings. The bullpen kept up the pressure as Syed Muhib Shah and Hussain Imam combined for five strikeouts in 2.2 shutout innings to finish the job.
India, on the other hand, faced issues across the board, committing 10 fielding errors and giving away eight walks. Their only run came in the first inning, and they could only manage four hits throughout the game against Pakistan’s strong pitching.
With this comprehensive win, Pakistan now heads to the final on Wednesday, where they’ll meet Palestine to defend their championship title.
Meanwhile, in a video message, Pakistan Federation Baseball President Syed Fakhar Ali Shah stated that the victory over India is “dedicated to armed forces of Pakistan.”