MANILA, Philippines — A daunting task right away for a world stage debut.
The Philippine women's baseball team will open its World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) World Cup campaign against 7-time reigning champ Japan on August 23 at the Secondary Field of the Asia Pacific International Baseball Complex (ASPAC) in Tainan.
WSBC released on Friday the schedule of the Group Tainan games in Taiwan, where world No. 21 Philippines, No. 1 Japan, No. 5 Venezuela, No. 7 Cuba, No. 15 Great Britain, and host No. 6 Taiwan belong.
After Japan, the Philippines will continue its group games and face Cuba, Taiwan, Great Britain, and Venezuela from August 24 to 27 in that order.
The national women's team needs to finish in the top three of the single round-robin eliminations to advance to the final stage next year in Rockford, Illinois, United States.
Meanwhile, the other group named 'Group Rockford,' is composed of No. 2 USA, No. 3 Canada, No. 4 Mexico, No. 8 Hong Kong, China, No. 10 Australia, and No. 12 South Korea.
Rockford's group stage is set from July 22 to 26.
The Philippine women's team actually qualified for the 2020 World Cup after finishing third at the 2019 Women's Baseball Asian Cup in Zhongshan, China.
The world meet was cancelled, though, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This time, the Filipina batters gained a wildcard entry to finally make their debut in the global competition.
The Philippine women's team gained a wildcard berth after showing an upward trajectory in its program highlighted by a fourth-place finish at last year's IV BFA Women's Baseball Asia Cup.
