First Fata baseball tournament kicks off in Jamrud

First Fata baseball  tournament kicks off in Jamrud
By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: The First Fata Baseball tournament started in Jamrud on Monday with Fata Tigers beating Fata Eagles in the inaugural match.

Four baseball teams from seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions Fata Tigers, Fate Leopards, Fata Eagles and Fata Dolphins represented by 54 players are taking part in the week long tournament played at the Government Higher Secondary School Jamrud.

President Fata Baseball Association Ayaz Raza said on the occasion that the tournament was organized in collaboration with the Directorate of Sports Fata which also provided complete kit to all the participating players along with baseball bates and balls. 

He said that the tournament was organized at the higher secondary school ground in order to introduce and promote the game of Baseball among students at educational institutions in Fata. He said that baseball would be included among other games in the forthcoming inter-schools tournament in Fata. 

Ayaz Raza informed that while one baseball academy was already providing training to the interested players of baseball in Jamrud Khyber Agency under an able coach, another would be established in Bajaur Agency in January next year. 

He said that currently 7 baseball players from Fata are playing at the national level for higher Education Commission, 3 for army,5 for wapda and 2 for police department.

Ayaz Raza said that his association in collaboration with sports directorate would organize refresher courses for baseball players in the second week of January. Mr. Raza said that players participating in the ongoing tournament were provided lodging facility by his association with financial support from local political administration.
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Ashrafuddin Pirzada
Daily The News International correspondent