JAPAN confirmed their place as the current dominant force in international baseball, winning the 2023 World Baseball Classic final against the United States in Miami on Tuesday night.

The final was a fitting end to the tournament which had proved extremely popular around the world, drawing TV viewers in their millions and creating some memorable sporting stories.

It also witnessed a historic semifinal clash between the United States and Cuba in Miami, during which there were anti-Cuba protests while members of the Cuban party were targets of hostility.

Since the World Baseball Classic’s inception in 2006, Japan have won three of the five editions of the tournament, finishing third on the two other occasions. The other winners were Puerto Rico in 2013 and the United States in 2017.

The diversity of the tournament is what makes it special, and though baseball is often considered a US sport due to the profile of Major League Baseball (MLB) and many of its teams, the World Baseball Classic reveals the global nature of this game.

Though it might not be considered a worldwide game in the same way football is, baseball is extremely popular in numerous countries across the world, to the point where it could be considered a national sport in some.

This is the case in numerous Central American and Caribbean countries such as Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Panama, and even spreads to South American countries, especially Venezuela but also Colombia.

It has long been a popular team sport in Japan along with football, plus traditional martial arts and sumo wrestling.

This is mirrored across the Sea of Japan in South Korea where baseball and football are both popular.

Several reports stated that up to 70 million tuned in to watch the Pool B game between the two countries earlier in the tournament, and TV ratings and attendance have remained high throughout.

Great Britain had qualified for the tournament for the first time following their dramatic win against Spain in last year’s qualifying stage. 39,650 were in attendance in Miami for their first-ever game in the tournament against the United States, which they lost by a respectable scoreline of 6-2 to the eventual runners-up.

Near-capacity crowds of over 40,000 turned up for each of Japan’s Pool B games at the Tokyo Dome, as the initial stages were held in venues in Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

Taichung Stadium in Taiwan hosted Pool A matches, while Chase Field in Phoenix hosted Pool C and Marlins Park in Miami hosted Pool D as well as the latter stages.

The quarterfinal between Cuba and Australia at the Tokyo Dome was watched by 35,000 spectators, showing that there is a keen interest in the game in Japan even outside their own national team.

Cuba are the most successful team in the history of international baseball, having won gold at three of the six Olympic Games in which baseball has been played and won 25 of the 38 editions of the World Cup — the tournament that has since been replaced by the World Baseball Classic.

Cuba reached the final of the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006, losing to Japan, but though the sport remains popular in the country and some of the best players in the world are Cuban, it has declined as a dominant force on the international stage.

This is partly due to other countries catching up, but also due to defections and the United States embargo against Cuba, which has also led to problems ahead of this tournament.

The New York Times reported that: “To even compete in the [2023] World Baseball Classic, the Cuban team needed special permission from the United States government because of its sanctions, which prohibit doing business with Cuba.”

In 2015, the US purportedly made it easier for Cuban players to sign with MLB teams, but they still had to establish residency outside Cuba and sign a statement saying: “I have taken up permanent residence outside of Cuba. In addition, I hereby state that I do not intend to, nor would I be welcome to, return to Cuba.

“Further, I hereby state that I am not a prohibited official of the government of Cuba… and am not a prohibited member of the Cuban Communist Party.”

In an interview with Reuters in December, Cuba’s Vice Foreign Minister Carlos Fernandez de Cossio explained the difficulties the team faced as it prepared to participate in the World Baseball Classic.

“In the US everything to do with Cuba is prohibited,” he said. “Doing business, travel, having a drink in Cuba, even playing baseball if you live in the United States.

“That is the situation faced by ballplayers trained in Cuba that today play for the big leagues in the United States and who say they are willing to play with their home country team.”

The issues came to a head in the semifinal between the United States and Cuba in Miami — a city where a large number of Cuban expats live.

There were protests against the Cuban government before and during the game, with three pitch invaders having to be removed from the stadium.

A number of Cuba supporters, delegates, players and their families were met with hostility in the stands. Objects and insults were thrown in their direction with no repercussions, and a stadium that claims to ban political banners appeared to be fine with anti-Cuba flags and slogans.

The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement denouncing “hostile acts against the Cuban team, incited by the Miami authorities” and “regrettable and dangerous incidents targeting the Cuban team.”

The statement also praised the United States team for their 14-2 victory against Cuba and thanked many US fans for their support and solidarity during the tournament.

“The conduct of the [US] team and its management was respectful and consistent with the sporting spirit that should prevail at such events. Its victory was well deserved,” said the statement.

“However, the Cuban team was also confronted by repugnant, organised hostility, in contrast with the messages of recognition, support and solidarity it received from a large number of people in the United States.

“Cuban sportsmen and women have participated in sporting events in numerous [US] cities and in other countries without being faced with the climate of hostility that is apparently peculiar to Miami.”

The United States progressed to the final where not only did the Baseball Classic get its perfect final between the home team and the best team, but it also came down to a battle between, arguably, its two best players, who also happen to be teammates at the Los Angeles Angels — Shohei Ohtani and US captain Mike Trout.

Ohtani, 28, is one reason Japan are likely to retain their status as the best team in international baseball for the foreseeable future. The rare all-rounder proved this in the most perfect fashion in the final, striking out Trout with the final pitch to win the game and the tournament for Japan.

Ohtani will go down as one of the best players of all time, and likely the best if he is able to maintain his current level into his thirties.

Ahead of the bottom of the seventh inning, he was in the bullpen where pitchers warm up, throwing a few practice pitches before being called back to play his other role as a designated hitter. A demonstration of his all-round qualities.

“I saw him after his last at-bat [in the seventh inning] somewhere out in the bullpen,” Trout said of the finale.

“I think every baseball fan wanted to see that. I’ve been answering questions about it for the last month and a half! I had a blast.

“Obviously didn’t come out the way I wanted it to, but I think as a baseball [fan], everybody wanted to see it. He won round one.”

Fitness permitting, Ohtani will no doubt have further moments on the international stage where baseball now has a globally popular flagship event thanks to the growth of the World Baseball Classic in the past two decades. The next edition, in 2026, will mark 20 years since the inaugural event.

The 2023 edition was a reminder that this sport is indeed global and not limited to MLB whose regular season starts this month and will initially appear tame in comparison to this international knockout tournament.

It was also another reminder of the political questions sports can raise and draw attention to, even if they don’t always have the answers.