After 15 years of absence, the PH Blu Boys are back in the World Men’s Softball Championships set from June 13 to 24 in Prague in Czech Republic.
They will face 24th-ranked Cuba on June 14 in its first game in Group A, where defending champion New Zealand and Asian champion and world no. 3 Japan are bracketed.
“We have been working hard for this. For the Blu Boys, playing against the world’s best teams will certainly provide us with the needed international experience. At the same time, we will determine our improvement areas for the team,” said ASAPHIL President Jean Henri Lhuillier who remains confident that the team will give a good account of itself in the tournament that features only the world’s top 24 men’s softball teams, including the Philippines, ranked 17th.
Blu Boys head coach Eufracio dela Cruz echoed Lhuillier’s optimism: “I believe we have a big chance of making it to the Top 10 as we have been preparing hard for this since we qualified.”
The top 4 teams from each group will advance to the playoffs.
Outside of Cuba, the Philippines will be facing higher-ranked teams in the group as they play no. 13 Botswana in its second game on June 15, No .5 Argentina on June 16, followed by a showdown with Japan the following day, before taking on host Czech Republic on June 18 .
The Blu Boys square off against the defending champions New Zealand on June 19 and will wind up its qualifying round schedule with a game against no. 20 ranked Mexico on June 20.
Group B is headed by world’s no. 2 team Canada, no. 4 Australia, no. 6 United States, no. 8 Venezuela, no. 11 Denmark, no. 12 South Africa, no. 19 Netherlands and no. 22 Singapore.
Opening game in the tournament will see the hosts Czechs playing the Kiwis from New Zealand. The event is organized and supervised by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.