Curveballs: US baseball coach here to help Pakistan hit home runs

By Staff Reporter

GUJRANWALA: Randall Arms, ace US baseball coach, has landed in Pakistan to help the country’s team step up their game for the coming world tourneys, officials said on Wednesday.

President Pakistan Baseball Federation (PBF) Syed Fakhar Ali Shah, Captain Umair Bhatti and others gave him a warm welcome at the airport.

The PBF had signed a month’s contract with Coach Arms to prepare the national baseball team for the Asian Games 2022. However, the games, which were to be hosted by China in September, were postponed a week back because of the renewed Covid threat.

Despite that huge upset, the association did not cancel the contract with Coach Arms, who would infuse the best of his game wisdom and knowledge from his decades of experience in the players at Ajwa City Gujranwala Baseball Camp.

Talking to media at the airport , Coach Arms said it was heartening to note the PBF was doing everything in its power to make the national team worthy of winning world competitions and my arrival was a part of those efforts.

“I am thankful to Syed Fakhar Ali Shah for taking important steps for the promotion of baseball and I am here to provide the best training to the young players,” Coach Arms said.

The PBF president said they were preparing the team for the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in addition to other regional and continental games.

According to Pervez Sheikh, the PBF Media Manager, the Baseball Classic qualifier is scheduled in Panama from September 28 to October 5, 2022.

“Coach Arms has started meetings with key officials of the federation, coaches, senior and young players before starting training the baseball team,” Sheikh said.
Pakistan are among the top ranking baseball teams in the region. They are one of the most no-hit squads in South Asia. Their first major break was the SAARC Baseball Championship in 2011. They clinched the cup by trouncing Sri Lanka 8-2.

Pakistan currently stand at number twenty seven in the World Baseball Softball Confederation rankings.

Pakistan won the Asian Baseball Championship (C level) cup in 2010, after defeating Hong Kong 10-0 in the final round. The country’s baseball team held five titles at the Asian Baseball Cup, walking away with the cup in the last tournament in 2015.
In the World Baseball Classic tournament Pakistan was defeated by Brazil and Great Britain in 2016. The team is governed and controlled by the Pakistan Federation Baseball, which is represented in the Baseball Federation of Asia, having been ranked at number 5 in Asia.