Baseball coach rues lack of facilities

Pakistan baseball team gearing up to take part in South-West Asia Cup.


Natasha Raheel March 06, 2012

KARACHI: Pakistan’s baseball team coach Hwang Hoon Dong has rued the lack of facilities that has hindered preparations for the South-West Asia Cup starting on March 23 in Lahore.

The tournament, being hosted by the Pakistan Baseball Federation (PBF), will feature teams from India, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iran, while Hwang is set to oversee a training camp from March 10 in which 22 players will take part.

However, the Korean, who has signed a one-year contract with the PBF, stressed on the need for a venue dedicated to hosting baseball matches.

“I’m disappointed that the PBF still doesn’t have a proper playing field,” Hwang told The Express Tribune. “We usually use a football venue for training. The players deserve to have at least one baseball stadium in the country.”

Pakistan will host the matches at a football stadium in Lahore. Hwang added that the country’s players were a talented bunch, capable of taking the team to greater heights, but only after basic infrastructure was put in place.

“Courtesy cricket, Pakistani players are just the right material for baseball. Many players who can’t make a name in cricket are switching. They are good hitters and baseball is all about that.”

Hwang, who is not fluent in English or Urdu, emphasised that language has not been a barrier. He said he just needed to polish the players’ skills and ensure their fitness for the South-West Asia Cup, which will also serve as a qualifier for November’s  Asian Championship.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2012.

COMMENTS (1)

Belal | 12 years ago | Reply

I agree with him, there is no facility or sign of baseball at all in Karachi. Sad to see us have a national team for a sport but no proper facility to play the sport. Baseball should be promoted in Pakistan as it is a lot like cricket.

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