Baseball United, the first-ever professional baseball league focused on the Middle East and South Asia, announced its plan to develop the first National Baseball Team in the history of the UAE.
Baseball United received official sanctions from the Emirates Cricket Board to manage the UAE National Baseball Team and institute a corresponding development programme for baseball in the nation. The Emirates Cricket Board is the governing body for cricket in the UAE.
The new team will compete in international baseball events, beginning with Baseball United’s inaugural Arab Classic tournament which will take place from November 7-10, 2024 at Baseball United’s new ballpark in Dubai.
Baseball United presented the plan for the team and programme to ECB as part of its grassroots and community development strategy.
The new sanctions tout Baseball United’s professional knowledge, expertise, and pedigree as a respected international baseball organization, and enable Baseball United to oversee player selection, player development, and the team’s participation in baseball competitions worldwide.
“Thanks to the vision of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board, and the ongoing support of Vice Chairman, Khalid Al Zarooni and General Secretary Mubashshir Usmani, we’ve been able to reach another significant milestone for baseball in this region,” said Kash Shaikh, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder, Baseball United.
The new team will now compete with Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia and five other regional nations at Baseball United’s Arab Classic event.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE will field national baseball teams for the first time. The tournament will be the largest national baseball team tournament in the history of the region, with all games played at Baseball United’s historic new ballpark at The Sevens sports and Entertainment Complex.
The UAE National Baseball Team will follow World Baseball Classic (WBC) eligibility rules and regulations, which will enable broader representation and participation for local residents. In addition to country citizens, WBC rules allow for permanent legal residents and/or players born in the National Team’s country or territory to participate in its international events. In addition, players with at least one parent who is, or if deceased, was, a citizen of the National Team’s country or territory, or whose parent was born in the National Team’s country or territory are also eligible to play.
The UAE has a population of 11 million people, 90% of which are immigrants. In addition, the UAE has one of the most diverse populations in the world with more than 200 nationalities living in the nation. According to global research firm, YouGov, there are approximately 800,000 baseball fans in the UAE.
“I truly believe this milestone will be an inspiration to countless young players, coaches, and fans across the UAE. We are excited to implement our baseball training curriculums and professional protocol, and get to work in developing the most competitive team possible. I have no doubt that the UAE team will make their country proud.”