Softball was introduced at the Asian Games in 1990 in Beijing, China. Since then it has been one of the most popular events at the Games. Only the women's teams participate in this event at the Games.
Venue & Schedule
At the 2018 Asian Games, Softball will be played between 19-24 August at the GBK Softball Field, Jakarta, Indonesia. Seven nations would be participating in this event.
All the seven participating nation's will play one game with each of the remaining six teams in the preliminary stage. The teams finishing in the top four will qualify for the finals.
Events
Only the women's teams would be participating in Softball at the Games this time just like the previous occurrences. The teams which end in the top four positions will advance to the finals. The teams at first and second positions will have an advantage of having two chances to book the finals berth.
The winner of the match between the first and the second position team will go straight through to the finals. The loser of this match would play the winner of the match between the third and fourth position team for the bronze medal, the winner of which will advance to the finals.
Asian Games Softball Teams
Along with the host nation Indonesia, the nation's that would be participating in the Softball event this year at Asian Games are: Japan, China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Philippines and South Korea.
Defending Softball Asian Games Champions
At the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, keeping up with its reputation in this particular sport, Japan won all of her seven matches and thrashed Chinese Taipei in the finals with a score of 6-0 to win their fourth consecutive Gold in Softball at the Games.
Favourites for 2018 Asian Games Basketball
Ever since the introduction of softball 28 years ago, it has been extremely difficult to choose a favorite between Japan and China. While in their last seven Asian Games appearances, China has bagged three Golds, two Silvers and two Bronze medals which sums up to seven medals.
Out of the seven of the Softball finals which Japan played, they have been able to bag three silver and four gold medals, taking Japan’s tally of medals to a grand total of seven. But more interestingly all of the 4 of Japan's Gold medal finishes came in the last four Asian Games. So keeping into view that Japan has been enjoying a monopoly for the past 16 years and it's overwhelming record in this particular sport at the Games, Japan clearly emerges as the major contender for Gold at Jakarta-Palembang.
