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In a stunning upset, Palestine defeated defending champion Pakistan 5-4 to clinch the 16th BFA West Asia Baseball Cup title in a thrilling final match played in Karaj, Iran.
The closely contested match ended 4-4 after nine innings, forcing extra innings where Palestine edged past with the winning run, securing their first championship. It marked Pakistan’s first loss in the event since 2018, breaking their long unbeaten streak in regional baseball.
Pakistan had earlier dominated the tournament, defeating India 14-1 in the semi-final, Bangladesh 10-6, and host Iran 14-0 in the group stage. However, they couldn’t hold off a resilient Palestinian side in the final showdown.
The defeat comes as a surprise for Pakistani fans and baseball analysts, considering the team’s consistent performances in the past several editions of the tournament.
Editor at Times of Karachi
