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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Taiwan qualifies for Premier12 for the third time
Names and flags of the 12 teams that are to compete in the Premier12 tournament next year organized by the World Baseball Softball Confederation are displayed in an illustration released yesterday. Photo courtesy of the World Baseball Softball Confederation
By Kayleigh Madjar / Staff writer, with CNA
Taiwan has made the Premier12 baseball competition hosted by the World Baseball Softball Confederation （WBSC） for the third consecutive edition, the organization announced on Wednesday.
The Premier12 is the WBSC’s flagship tournament featuring the 12 highest-ranked national baseball teams from around the world.
The top 12 teams in the world according to the WBSC/KONAMI Men’s Baseball World Ranking make the flagship international baseball event, to be held from Nov. 10 to 24 next year.
Taiwan finished fifth in the world this year, after Japan, Mexico, the US and South Korea.
The other teams competing next year — in the order they are ranked from 6th to 12th — will be: Venezuela, the Netherlands, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Panama, Australia and Puerto Rico, according to the WBSC Web site.
The top five, as well as Venezuela, the Netherlands, Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico are all appearing for the third time.
Australia has made it for a second edition, while Panama is to appear for the first time, the WBSC said.
It is the third edition of the competition, after the first in 2015 won by South Korea and the second in 2019 won by Japan.
“We’ve had two memorable editions of the WBSC’s flagship event and we’re looking forward to another hugely successful tournament next year, with the best of international baseball captivating fans all around the world,” WBSC president Riccardo Fraccari was quoted as saying by the WBSC.
Taiwan was a host country in both previous editions, and has again been tapped to host part of next year’s competition.
The 12 teams are to be split into two groups for round-robin play, after which the top two from each group are to move on to the Super Round, WBSC said.
The top two teams from that round are then to play in the championship game, while the other two play in a bronze medal match.
Taiwan is to host Group B from Nov. 14 to 18, with the opening game to be played at Nagoya Dome in Japan on Nov. 13.
An as-yet unidentified location in the Americas is to host Group A.
The Super Round is to take place at the Tokyo Dome from Nov. 21 to 23.
Taiwan failed to make the Super Round in 2015 after finishing ninth. In 2019, which had three groups in the first round, Taiwan advanced after finishing second in their group and placed fifth in the Super Round.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
