DUBAI: Baseball United, the first professional league of the sport focused on the Middle East and South Asia, has announced the schedule for the inaugural Baseball United Arab Classic tournament from Nov. 7 to 10.
The event, the largest tournament of its kind in the history of the region, will be held at the new Baseball United Ballpark in Dubai’s The Sevens sports and entertainment complex.
The competition will include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Palestine, Afghanistan, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, and the newly formed UAE team.
“Every nation competing in this event is now a part of history,” said Kash Shaikh, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Baseball United. “This will be the largest, most diverse, and most competitive national baseball team tournament this region has ever seen.
“The eyes of the world will be on these teams. We created the Arab Classic to give these nations, their federations, and their players and coaches a global stage to showcase their talent, skills, and heart.
“I can’t wait for the world to witness the progress these teams have made. And I hope to see fans in Dubai of each of these communities come out to support their country with passion and pride.”
The games will run from early morning to late evening on each day of the tournament, with start times ranging from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gulf Standard Time.
The first three days will be in a round-robin format, with playoffs for the top six teams on Sunday, Nov. 10. The championship game will begin at 8 p.m.
The teams will be split into two groups. Group A will include India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the UAE. Group B will feature Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Palestine.
The two group winners will automatically advance to the semifinals, with teams second and third in each group competing in an opening quarterfinal round.
India will take on Pakistan in primetime on Friday, Nov. 8, with the first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m.
Pakistan is currently the highest ranked South Asian country in the World Baseball Softball Confederation rankings, moving up to No. 36 earlier this year. India is ranked No. 68.
Both teams have highly touted pitching prospects who will compete in Baseball United’s professional league next year.
Other key matchups include India vs. the UAE in the morning session on Thursday, Nov. 7, followed by Sri Lanka vs. Saudi Arabia, and Nepal vs. Palestine in the evening session.
Palestine, ranked No. 34, was the runner-up at last year’s West Asia Baseball Cup and competed in the most recent Asian Championships. They take on Sri Lanka in the evening session on Friday, Nov. 8, just before the match between India and Pakistan.
On Saturday, Nov. 9, the host team from the UAE will face Bangladesh in the morning, followed by an evening session that includes Palestine, India, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
Playoff teams and matchups will be announced at the conclusion of play on Saturday, Nov. 9.
Phase one of the ballpark’s construction is set to be complete by the time of the event, and will include professional lighting, dugouts, practice areas, and the full playing field.
Fan seating configurations will be smaller for this event, with expanded seating added for Baseball United’s professional games next year.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the ballpark, with exclusive hospitality offerings, including free ballpark fare, for Diamond Club ticket holders.
“We accelerated the construction of our ballpark so that we could create this experience for these national teams,” said Shaikh. “We have more work to do after the tournament to complete all aspects of the build, but the field and general areas will be ready.
“That means that the first pitch, the first catch, and the first hit in the history of our ballpark will now come from players from this region. And that is truly special.”
