LAHORE: The inaugural season of the United International Baseball League will feature at least four Pakistani players, the country’s baseball federation chief Fakhar Ali Shah said Tuesday.

The tournament, which is set to kick off in Dubai in February next year, was launched to provide professional league opportunities for players based in the subcontinent and the United Arab Emirates.

“Pakistani players would earn a handsome amount of money as the league would be held on professional lines,” Fakhar told Dawn.

“Our coaches will also be hired to perform duties in the league.”

Fakhar said he met UIBL founder Kanwal S. Sra in New York earlier this month, where it was decided that Pakistani players will participate in the league.

The Pakistan Federation Baseball president said the idea behind the UIBL was to unearth talented players in a region where cricket is the most popularly followed sport.

“The game of baseball has similarity in some of the departments like the pitching and throwing, so good baseball players would be developed through this league,” said Fakhar.

Hall of Fame Baseball players Mariano Rivera and Barry Larkin have also joined the UIBL and were also present in the launching ceremony.

According to the agreement with the PFB, the UIBL would also help Pakistan to promote the game in the country, said Fakhar.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2022