ISLAMABAD         -             Japanese baseball coach Kazuya Yagi on Wednesday visited Yar Hussain Baseball Academy (YHBA) Swabi, where he witnessed the baseball training.

Pakistan Federation Baseball (PFB) Executive Director Haseeb Muhammad, Director Youth Baseball Development Dr Shaheen Gulraiz, international baseball player Tariq Nadeem and Pakistan youth baseball team vice captain M Qasim Hamid accompanied the Japanese coach.  Talking to The Nation, PFB President Syed Fakhr Ali Shah said Yar Hussain Baseball Academy President Wisal Muhammad Khan received the guests while academy coach Khalid Khan was also present there. The Japanese coach watched the match at the venues and he was very delighted to see the players in action. “I am very happy to come to the academy. Pakistan has unique baseball talent which just needs latest training. I will be back at the academy with the baseball scouts,” said the Japanese coach, who also met with the players and gave them useful tips.

“If these players are given regular training for two to three months, they can win laurels for Pakistan at international arena. The Wisal Muhammad’s efforts for development of baseball in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are highly commendable as he is running the academy in a region like Swabi,” he added.

Wisal Mohammad thanked the Japanese coach and hoped that the players of the academy will learn a lot from him. “The academy was established under the KP Baseball Association in collaboration with the PFB. Despite having no sponsors, the PFB has given every possible help to the association to run the academy.” He also thanked the PFB President for providing baseball equipment to the academy. The Japanese coach will return to Japan from Islamabad today (Thursday) after the end of his two-day visit.