LAHORE: After failing to get any response from the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), the Pakistan Federation Baseball (PFB) has not only decided to set up the national training camp on its own but has also invited an American coach to train the players for this year’s Asian Games.

The Games are being held in Hangzhou, China from Sept 10 to 25.

According to PFB president Syed Fakhar Shah, he had written letters to PSB director general retired Col Asif Zaman informing him that an early camp was essential for the Pakistan team who would be facing a tough challenge at the Asian Games from world’s top sides of South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and China.

“The PFB first wrote a letter to the PSB in February and then in April, requesting for an early training camp but we didn’t receive any response,” he added.

“[Therefore], instead of waiting for a reply from the PSB we have decided to set up the camp on our own hoping the PSB will extend its support as soon as possible. In order to give our players the game’s modern training an American coach, named Randall Arms, is also coming to Pakistan on Saturday,” Fakhar stated.

In the past, Fakhar recalled, the PFB had also invited American and Japanese experts without any help from the PSB.

“If the PSB extends the PFB due support, Pakistan have the talent to beat world’s best teams.”

The camp would start next week soon after the arrival of Arms, he added.

“The camp will be set up in Gujranwala where national coaches Mussadiq Hanif and Tariq Nadeem along with Arms will impart training to the players.”

The camp probables would be announced after consultations with Arms, the PFB president further said.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2022