TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Team Taiwan took sole possession of the No. 2 ranking in the latest World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Men’s Baseball World Rankings after winning the WBSC Premier12 championship in Tokyo last month.

Taiwan clinched the championship, marking the team’s first triumph at a world-class national-level baseball event, by defeating Japan 4-0 at the Tokyo Dome on Nov. 24. As a result, Team Taiwan, pulled ahead to depose its rival Mexico from the second-highest spot in the global rankings on Nov. 27, per WBSC.

Previously, Taiwan shared second place with Mexico at 4,118 points. However, after defeating Japan in the WBSC Premier12 championship, Taiwan's point total soared to 5,498, narrowing the gap with Japan's 6,866.

Venezuela overtook Mexico's 4,729 points with 4,846 points putting it in third, while the latter dropped to fourth. Venezuela's third-place ranking is its highest in history, while Panama rose to eighth, also a record high. 

According to WBSC, Taiwan's victory over Japan reduced the original point gap between the two countries from 1,638 to 1,368. This year, Taiwan earned 2,135 points, second only to Japan’s 2,449 points. 

Venezuela, which finished fourth in the WBSC Premier12 championship and, like Taiwan, achieved its best result in team history, climbed two places in the rankings to secure a historic third place.