Molka Jlajla: Taking Tunisian Baseball5 to the next level

After a “disappointing” campaign at the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup Hong Kong 2024, Molka Jlajla is already looking forward to helping improve Tunisia’s next performance in a WBSC Baseball5 World Cup when they play in the Youth Baseball5 African qualifier, set for South Africa in December with an eye on helping her youth compatriots qualify for the WBSC Youth Baseball World Cup 2025 in Mexico.

Tunisia had one of the youngest squads in Hong Kong with an average age of 21.5 (Mexico the youngest at 17.75). Jlajla, aged 23, was one of two players – the other being Mohamed Aziz Chtioui – to have played in the inaugural WBSC Baseball5 World Cup in Mexico City two years ago, where Tunisia reached the Super Round and finished sixth, however in Hong Kong, the world No. 3 at the time missed out on the top six by one win and finished seventh.

In Hong Kong and Mexico, Tunisia finished the Opening Round with two wins and three defeats but in Mexico was tied with Kenya and France and managed to advance to the Super Round via TQB but lost all three games to Cuba, Mexico and Japan. As stand alone Opening Round fourth place in Hong Kong, this year Tunisia found themselves in the Placement Round where they recorded wins over South Africa and Hong Kong, China after losing a three-set thriller to European champions Lithuania.

“Our journey in the World Cup in Mexico was a mix of highs and lows. Although we advanced to the second round, there was a sense of missed opportunity. However, the experience was invaluable," Jlajla told the WBSC. "Our current team is arguably stronger, with better cohesion and performance compared to the past. So we were disappointed to not improve on the Mexico performance in Hong Kong.

"Comparing our current level to that of Mexico 2022, there's a clear improvement. Extensive training has paid off, and it's evident that all teams have raised their game," Jlajla added. "This progression is a positive sign for our future competitions."

Teammate Ilef Cheikh, 18, also said on Instagram: “I can’t tell how much this sport has added to my life and how much this experience has put its mark on me like not any other one did. Team Tunisia made it to 7th place in the [WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2024] and the goal isn’t achieved yet. Grateful to be a part of this and hoping for the better for the coming days.”

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Tunisia has been one of the first countries to fully embrace Baseball5 ever since transitioning from Street Baseball, Baseball and Softball in 2019 and became the highest of any African nation in a WBSC/KONAMI World Ranking, by climbing to No.2 in the WBSC/KONAMI Baseball5 World Ranking in May this year. They're currently ranked fifth.

“The switch to Baseball5 has allowed us to compete more broadly, and it's a sport where we see significant potential for growth and success,” Jlajla said. ​“At home, we have a structured Baseball5 league, featuring the Tunisian Championship and the Tunisian Cup. While these tournaments aren't held weekly or monthly, they provide a competitive platform for our teams to showcase their skills and continue improving.

“With continued focus and improvement, our team is poised to reach new heights in the world of Baseball5.”

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After last year's eighth place finish at the WBSC Youth Baseball5 World Cup and this year's seventh-place performance in Hong Kong, there's certainly plenty of encouraging signs that there's an exciting future ahead for Tunisia in Baseball5.

Watch out for the African champions at the WBSC Youth Baseball World Cup 2025 in Mexico and the WBSC Baseball5 World Cup 2026 in Italy in the years to come.