Manu Bhaker, Swapnil Kusale Lead Strong Indian Squad for ISSF World Cup 2026 in Hangzhou

India have announced a formidable squad for the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun, set to take place in Hangzhou, China, from July 20 to 29, with several Olympic medallists and world-class shooters aiming to continue the country's impressive run on the international stage.

The Indian contingent features some of the biggest names in the sport, including Olympic medallists Manu Bhaker and Swapnil Kusale, alongside Paris Olympians and World Cup winners such as Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Elavenil Valarivan, Esha Singh, Sift Kaur Samra, Anish Bhanwala, Ganemat Sekhon and Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil.

With medals to be decided across rifle, pistol, shotgun and mixed team events, India enters the competition with one of its strongest squads of the season.

Leading India's campaign is double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, who will once again shoulder expectations in the women's 25m pistol event. Since her breakthrough performances on the global stage, Manu has established herself as one of the world's premier pistol shooters and remains one of India's strongest medal hopes.

Joining her is Olympic bronze medallist Swapnil Kusale, who continues to spearhead India's rifle programme following his success in the men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions event. His consistency over the past few seasons has made him one of the country's most reliable performers in precision rifle shooting.

The squad also includes experienced international campaigners such as Rahi Sarnobat, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Rudrankksh Patil, Elavenil Valarivan and Sift Kaur Samra, giving India both experience and depth across multiple disciplines.

India has traditionally excelled in rifle shooting, and the Hangzhou squad reflects that strength.

In the men's 10m Air Rifle event, Parth Rakesh Mane, Himanshu Dhillon, Shahu Tushar Mane and Rudrankksh Balasaheb Patil will represent the country, while the women's event features Elavenil Valarivan, Sonam Uttam Maskar and Sakshi Sunil Padekar.

The 50m Rifle 3 Positions competition also boasts a quality Indian lineup. Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, Niraj Kumar and Rudrankksh will compete in the men's category, while Ashi Chouksey, Vidarsa K Vinod and reigning world champion Sift Kaur Samra will lead India's women's challenge.

Given India's recent performances in rifle events at World Cups and the Olympics, these categories are expected to provide multiple medal opportunities.

India's pistol squad combines youth and experience.

Suruchi, Sainyam and Esha Singh will compete in the women's 10m Air Pistol, while Kedarling B. Uchaganve, Kamaljeet and Aakash Bhardwaj have been selected in the men's competition.

The women's 25m Pistol event will feature a formidable trio of Manu Bhaker, Esha Singh and former world champion Rahi Sarnobat, giving India one of the strongest line-ups in the field.

https://www.indiasportshub.com/articles/issf-world-cup-hangzhou-2026-elavenil-valarivan-rudrankksh-patil-lead-gun-for-glory-quartet

Meanwhile, Anish Bhanwala, Omkar Singh and Bhavesh Shekhawat will represent India in the men's 25m rapid-fire pistol event, with Anish looking to add another World Cup medal to his growing international resume.

India will also field competitive teams in both trap and skeet events.

In men's Trap, Udavir Singh Jajee, Bhowneesh Mendiratta and Vivaan Kapoor have been selected, while Pragati Dubey, Kirti Gupta and Rajeshwari Kumari will compete in the women's event. The Skeet squad features Gurjoat Singh Khangura, Parampal Singh Guron and Abhay Singh Sekhon in the men's competition. India's women's team comprises Ganemat Sekhon, Darshna Rathore and Yashasvi Rathore, with Ganemat entering the competition as one of India's most accomplished shotgun shooters.

India will also contest the 10m Air Rifle Mixed Team, 10m Air Pistol Mixed Team and Trap Mixed Team events, disciplines that have consistently produced exciting finishes in recent World Cups.

Competition officially begins on July 22 with medals to be decided in the 10m air pistol mixed team and the men's 10m air rifle events. The action continues throughout the week, with key finals including the women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions, women's and men's Skeet, women's 10m Air Pistol, men's Rapid Fire Pistol, women's 10m Air Rifle, men's 50m Rifle 3 Positions, women's 25m Pistol, trap events and the mixed team competitions. The tournament concludes on July 28 with the 10m air rifle mixed team and trap mixed team finals.

With finals spread across seven days, India will have medal opportunities throughout the competition.

The Hangzhou World Cup arrives at an important stage of the international shooting calendar, providing athletes with another opportunity to gain ranking points and valuable international match practice against the world's best shooters.

For established stars like Manu Bhaker, Swapnil Kusale, Elavenil Valarivan and Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, the event offers a chance to reinforce their status among the sport's elite.

For younger shooters such as Suruchi, Sonam Uttam Maskar and Parth Rakesh Mane, it represents another opportunity to establish themselves on the global stage.

With depth across rifle, pistol and shotgun disciplines, India heads to Hangzhou with realistic medal ambitions. A successful campaign would further underline the country's emergence as one of the strongest shooting nations in the world while providing valuable momentum for the remainder of the international season.