The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed PH Blu Girls is now the 11th–ranked women’s softball team in the world after the standings for 2019 were released by the World Baseball Softball Confederation Thursday morning.
Longtime softball patron and Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines president Jean Henri Lhuillier expressed elation regarding the team’s achievement.
“This is what we have been working hard for and our dedication and love for the sport that we play are now bearing fruit. I’m very proud of the team and I hope that more Filipinos continue supporting the Blu Girls,” said Lhuillier.
The national women’s softball team advanced two places from no. 13 and is now ahead of Czech Republic and Great Britain, who are in 12th and 13th spots, respectively.
The world rankings by the WBSC, started in 2016 and gives weight to the performance of national softball teams in WBSC-sanctioned international competitions covered in a four-year period.
“This is just the beginning of more milestones for the team, more great things are in store for the Blu Girls,” added Lhuillier, who is also the president and CEO of microfinancial services giant, Cebuana Lhuillier.
The top six nations of the world rankings remained unchanged with the USA taking the top spot, closely followed by Japan, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Chinese Taipei.
China is now seventh and Australia is at eighth spot, while the Netherlands took ninth and Italy placed 10th.
The Blu Girls are also the 4th in Asia behind Japan, Chinese Taipei and China.