Australia’s bid for a famous upset at the World Baseball Classic fell just short on Sunday night, with the world number one nation Japan rallying late to secure a 4–3 win at the Tokyo Dome.

Australia notched a second win to start the WBC, handling Czechia to the comfortable tune of 5-1. The result was built on a dominant pitching display that has allowed a mere 7 hits so far in the tournament.

Australia opened its 2026 World Baseball Classic campaign with a composed 3–0 victory over Chinese Taipei, relying on dominant pitching and a pair of timely home runs to break open a tight contest.