Pakistan claimed victory at the first-ever Baseball United Arab Classic, which wrapped up on Sunday after four exciting days of play. Throughout the tournament, Pakistan dominated, outscoring their opponents by a total of 57 runs, with a decisive 12-1 win over the UAE in the championship game.
The tournament was hosted at the new Baseball United Ballpark at The Sevens in Dubai, where nine nations from the GCC and subcontinent — including Pakistan, UAE, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, and Palestine — played 21 games in front of thousands of fans and a global streaming audience.
The UAE, making their debut in an international baseball tournament, were the surprise finalists. They beat Saudi Arabia in the quarterfinals and then overcame a highly-ranked Palestine team in the semifinals to reach the championship. The UAE finished with five wins and two losses, both of which were to Pakistan.
Baseball United formed the UAE National Baseball team in just 30 days after receiving approval from the Emirates Cricket Board last month. The new ballpark, built in just 38 days, hosted all tournament games on a state-of-the-art, professional baseball field.
“Congratulations to Pakistan on their incredible victory,” said Kash Shaikh, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Baseball United. “This tournament was the largest and most competitive in the region’s history. Pakistan proved they are one of Asia’s top teams and are now on track to compete with the best baseball nations worldwide. Congratulations to Manager Syed Shah, the entire team, and Pakistan for this impressive win.”
The UAE’s second-place finish also holds great significance. “Congratulations to the UAE for making history once again,” Shaikh added. “Known for its great sports and entertainment, the UAE now stands at the forefront of global baseball. With the new Ballpark attracting worldwide attention, the UAE team’s performance has propelled Dubai into the global baseball spotlight.”
“Baseball is one of the world’s top sports, and now the UAE has a direct connection to millions of baseball fans globally. I’m proud of Manager Eddie Diaz and the team. We are grateful for the support of Dubai Sports Council, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, and Emirates Cricket Board. Exciting times ahead for Dubai and the UAE.”
Baseball United was founded in November 2022 by Shaikh, John Miedreich, and MLB Hall of Famers Barry Larkin and Mariano Rivera. The league has attracted investments from 20 MLB legends, including Adrian Beltre, Albert Pujols, Felix Hernandez, and Ryan Howard.
“We’ve done a lot of work in a short time to prove what’s possible with baseball in this region,” Shaikh said. “When we started this journey, people weren’t sure baseball could succeed here. But now, many believe in it, and that’s exciting for the future of the sport in the region.”
