Pakistan hoping for a bronze in India

U15 baseball side has the talent to shine, says coach.

KARACHI: Pakistan can bag at least a bronze in the six-nation U15 Asian Baseball Cup that starts on November 3 in Cuttack, India, according to team coach Usman Shahzad.

Apart from Pakistan, the tournament features Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, China besides the hosts and Shahzad was hopeful the players will be able to impress at the international level.

“It’s a young team consisting of players who’ve no international experience,” Shahzad told The Express Tribune. “But I’m confident because they’re talented and we’re aiming to come third. Korea and Chinese Taipei are the biggest threats.”

Shahzad added that such events will help groom players who can then compete for a spot in the national team.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Baseball Federation Secretary Parvaiz Shah Khawar said the focus was now on the under-15 side since it was important to develop players’ skills at an early age.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2012.