Baseball United has launched its inaugural season in Dubai, aiming to bring baseball to the Middle East. The league featuring four teams kicked off on Friday at the new Barry Larkin Field. The Mumbai Cobras faced the Karachi Monarchs, drawing on the sporting rivalry between India and Pakistan and the large number of expatriates in the Emirates. The league introduces novel rules to speed up games and attract fans. All games will be at the stadium in Dubai’s desert, with environmental concerns leading to an artificial field. Baseball United hopes to capture interest in a region dominated by soccer and cricket.