KARAJ, IRAN – Palestine emerged as the new champions of the West Asia Baseball Championship after a dramatic 5-4 victory over defending champions Pakistan in a nail-biting final that extended into an extra inning.
The title clash, held in Karaj, Iran, remained locked at 4-4 after the regulation nine innings, showcasing the fierce competition between two top-tier teams. Palestine broke the deadlock in the extra frame with a crucial run that sealed a historic win and crowned them West Asia’s baseball champions.
Palestine had a strong start, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning and building on it with three more runs in the third, putting Pakistan under early pressure. However, the Green Shirts responded with grit and resilience. They scored one run in the fourth inning and another in the top of the fifth, narrowing the gap to 4-2. Palestine managed to add another run in the bottom of the fifth to maintain a slight edge.
In a thrilling ninth inning, Pakistan staged a late comeback, scoring two runs to level the match 4-4 and force an extra inning. Despite the momentum, Pakistan failed to capitalise, while Palestine seized the opportunity with a decisive run.
Earlier, Iran secured third place by defeating India in the playoff match.
Pakistan’s road to the final had been dominant. They topped Group B with commanding victories—10-6 against Bangladesh, 14-0 against Iran—and demolished arch-rivals India 14-1 in the semifinals. However, the final belonged to a determined Palestinian side that made history.