Pakistan’s baseball team stormed into the semifinals of the 2025 West Asia Baseball Cup with a dominant 14-0 win over hosts Iran in their final Group B game on Friday.
The defending champions put on a complete performance, sealing their second straight win and finishing top of their group. Pakistan had already beaten Bangladesh 10-6 in their opener to send an early message and now head into the knockouts full of confidence and momentum.
From the start, Pakistan took control of their second West Asia Baseball Cup game. They scored three runs in the first inning, six in the second, and three more in the third to build an unassailable lead. Two more runs in the fifth sealed the result, with the game ending early due to the mercy rule after seven innings.
Right-arm pitcher Muhammad Haris was outstanding, throwing six scoreless innings, striking out 13 batters, and giving up just two hits.
On the offensive side, Wasim Akram and Saeed Akhtar led the way. Both drove in three runs, with Akhtar also stealing three bases. Pakistan collected 10 hits in total, while Iran struggled at the plate and made eight fielding errors.
Pakistan will now face the Group A runner-up in the semifinals. Group A consists of India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Palestine, and as of now, India occupies the second spot, which could cause some scheduling friction for the organizers given the recent skirmishes between the two countries.
For Pakistan, their success at the ongoing 16th West Asia Baseball Cup will continue to inspire locals to take up this niche sport, given the success the country has achieved in recent years.
