Pakistan hammer Iran to reach semis of West Asia Baseball Cup

KARACHI: Pakistan baseball team delivered another masterclass performance on Friday, overwhelming Iran with a resounding 14-0 victory in their Group B clash of the West Asia Baseball Cup.

The defending champions, with near-flawless performances, have topped the group B with two wins in the two games.

From the opening innings, Pakistan's batters dominated Iran's pitching, scoring three runs in the first, six in the second, and three more in the third to effectively put the game out of reach.

They added two insurance runs in the fifth against the hosts before the game was called after seven innings due to the mercy rule. Pakistan's offensive firepower was backed by a flawless defensive effort, with pitcher Muhammad Haris tossing six scoreless innings while striking out 13 batters and allowing just two hits.

Wasim Akram emerged as the standout performer with the bat, driving in three runs on two hits, while Saeed Akhtar matched his RBI tally and showcased his speed with three stolen bases. The victory follows Pakistan's 10-6 triumph over Bangladesh in their tournament opener, cementing their position atop Group B.

Pakistan will now face the runner-up from Group A in the semifinal.

Scoring summary:

IRI: 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 — 0 (2 hits, 8 errors)

PAK: 3 - 6 - 3 - 0 - 2 - 0 - X — 14 (10 hits, 1 error)