June 20, 2025
This wasn’t exactly at the top of the sports news in the United States—or in Iran, for that matter—so we thought the Iran Times should inform its readers that Iran finished third in the West Asian Baseball Championships.
Seven national teams you have probably never heard of competed during mid-May in Karaj—where, yes, there is a baseball diamond. First place went to the global baseball powerhouse of Palestine, which beat Pakistan 5-4 in the final.
Besides Pakistan, Palestine and Iran, the other participants were India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The Afghans came in last, failing to win any games. In fact, they got whipped by Bangladesh by a score that looked more like a US football result, 21-0.
Iran came in third. But in its four games, it was outscored 40 runs to 16. Here are Iran’s results. Iran 7,
Bangladesh 6
Iran 0,
Pakistan 14
Iran 3,
Palestine 17
Iran 6,
India 3
That last game was the match to determine the third place finisher. This was the 16th West Asian Baseball Championships, drawing athletes who have probably withstood much ridicule from the handful who have even noticed them in their home countries.
