Mumbai face Karachi in blockbuster opener to Baseball United's Dubai Showcase

Joining the four-team inaugural competition in November are Abu Dhabi and Dubai franchises

Baseball United’s CEO Kash Shaikh at the launch of Baseball United’s Dubai Showcase. Antonie Robertson / The National

Baseball United’s inaugural Dubai Showcase is set for a blockbuster start when the Mumbai Cobras clash with Karachi Monarchs at the Dubai International Stadium on November 3.

The first game in Baseball United history – and the first professional baseball game in the history of the entire region – will feature a world-renowned, international rivalry: India versus Pakistan.

Mumbai will serve as the home team, hosting Karachi on Friday at 7pm. This historic matchup brings together the most populous metropolitan areas of the region’s two largest nations.

“Mumbai versus Karachi might be the most epic way to open any sports league,” Kash Shaikh, Baseball United President, CEO, and Majority Owner said after announcing the Dubai Showcase schedule on Friday.

“When teams from those two nations compete in cricket, nearly 500 million people watch. If we can inspire even a small fraction of that viewership, it will be an incredible stage for baseball in the region.

“And from an attendance standpoint, we are looking forward to welcoming baseball fans from all walks of life – and from dozens of different countries – to enjoy this classic showdown.”

Roughly half the population of the UAE is comprised of Indians and Pakistanis. In addition, according to Baseball United’s research, there are 800,000 avid baseball fans comprising more than a dozen nationalities living with the UAE, and 50 per cent of those avid baseball fans live in Dubai.

The remainder of the Showcase schedule will include a doubleheader on Day 2, with Karachi hosting the Abu Dhabi Falcons and second game between Mumbai and Dubai Wolves.

All games of the three-day Showcase from November 10-12 will be played in Dubai International Stadium – a cricket pitch that Baseball United will transform into a baseball field.

Baseball United will host a headline concert each night of the Showcase following the evening games. Fans who have tickets to the game can attend that evening’s concert at no extra charge. Performers will be announced next month.

The Showcase will also include a Fan Fest that is free to the public outside of the stadium. Brands, partners, and vendors will be on hand providing baseball-related experiences and activities, as well as various other sports and music activations.

“We are working hard to bring baseball, music, and entertainment together in a fun, family-friendly environment,” Shaikh added.

“There will be a price point for everyone, with great seats available across the transformed ‘ballpark.’ And everyone who attends will become a part of history, as we bring professional baseball here to the Middle East and South Asia for the first time.

“Tickets will go on sale soon, and I really encourage all baseball and sports fans to join us for a great experience.”

To join the waiting list for Showcase tickets, visit baseballunited.com.