Team USA played their WBC semifinal match against Team Cuba on Sunday. It proved to be a one-sided affair as the USA defeated Cuba 14-2.
While there was high anticipation for the game to be an interesting one, what played out on the diamond was totally different. Team USA came out all guns blazing and got one step closer to defending their WBC crown in the final against either Team Mexico or Team Japan.
Fans witnessed a man jump out of the center field stands and run across the field with a banner. It read "Libertad para los Presos Cubanos del 11 de Julio!" or "Freedom for the Political Prisoners of July 11th". It was certainly an interesting development as Cuba and the United States share a rivalry not only in sports but also in socio-political matters.
The major motive behind the activists protesting during the match was because of the Cuban regime. The current Cuban communist regime has imprisoned lots of political prisoners.
These political activists wanted U.S. support in freeing Cuba. The protests took various forms during the length of the match, but were all eventually directed toward getting U.S. help.
Team USA's performances in WBC 2023 so far
Team USA has had a remarkable performance so far in WBC 2023. They were placed in Pool C alongside Great Britain, Canada, Colombia and Mexico. They lost their match against Mexico 11-5.
However, the USA made a great comeback by defeating Great Britain 6-2. They also defeated Colombia 3-2 and Canada 11-5. Finally, they defeated Cuba 14-2. They are now expected to face either Mexico or Japan in the finals.