Baseball5 Asia Cup presented in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

This first Baseball5 Asia Cup will qualify three teams for the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2022 set to be staged in Mexico from 7-13 November. During the press conference, a Baseball5 Seminar was also confirmed.

The WBSC Baseball5 World Cupa Asian Qualifier was presented in Malaysia, during a press conference held today in Kuala Lumpur. WBSC Secretary General and Softball Asia President Beng Choo Low explained the details of the tournament, which is set to run from 17-19 August.

Low said this first Baseball5 Asia Cup will qualify three teams for the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2022 set to be staged in Mexico from 7-13 November.

“Since its introduction, it has grown exponentially all over the world because of its ‘sport made simple’ concept, with the inaugural Baseball5 World Cup to be organised by WBSC in 2022, and the Baseball5 World Cup Youth (U18) category in 2023,” she said.

The nine teams participating in the Asia Cup/World Cup qualifier are: Hong Kong China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Chinese Taipei.

“Since it’s a new tournament nobody is a clear favourite to win it,” Low said. “We’re expecting a strong challenge from the participating countries especially Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions Japan, South Korea and host Malaysia.”

Beng Choo Low was accompanied at the press conference by Sally Lim, Secretary General of Softball Asia; Valerio Cianfoni, WBSC Technical Director of the tournament; and Softball Association of Malaysia’s newly elected President, Willeam Mah.

Baseball5 Seminar

During the press conference, it was confirmed that the WBSC will be also hosting a pre-tournament seminar for coaches and officials on 15 and 16 August with the aim of further supporting and developing tournament and continental officials. There are 41 participants from various countries-territories in Asia registered for the seminar, to be held prior to the tournament.

The seminar and World Cup qualifier were due to be held in 2020 but were postponed because of the pandemic.