The five-nation 10th Southwest Asia Cup will roll into action from March 23 to 28 here at the Punjab Stadium. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, President Pakistan Federation Baseball Shaukat Javed said that all the four foreign countries’ teams have confirmed their participation. “India, Iran, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, along with Pakistan would feature in the six-day event,” he added.
Javed saluted the spirit of Sri Lankan team for again sending its team for the baseball event in Pakistan, despite the tragic event their cricket team had faced in Lahore in 2009. “Sri Lanka has also sent its team to Pakistan to participate in the first SAARC Baseball Cup, which Pakistan won at the Punjab Stadium, and now they have confirmed the participation in the 10th south West cup,” he said. Shaukat further said that though India had also sent the names of their squad, but still their participation was subject to the approval of the India government. He said the Punjab Government which had extended its full cooperation to the federation to host SAARC Cup was again helping it out to successfully hold another mega event.
Regarding the preparations of the Pakistan team, Shukat said that 24 probables for the training camp would be selected from the National Inter-departmental Championship, which will be held in Lahore from February 25 to March 1. Three teams, Army, Wapda and Police would take part in it. He said the championship had been dedicated to Army’s baseball player Kamran Shaheed who sacrificed his life in the war against terrorists.
