Swapnil Kusale, Sarabjot Singh Lead India’s 24-Member Squad at ISSF World Cup in Cairo

Olympic bronze medallists Swapnil Suresh Kusale and Sarabjot Singh will spearhead India’s challenge at the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol in Cairo, Egypt, as a 24-member contingent prepares to compete across eight individual Olympic disciplines and two mixed team events. 

The Indian squad arrives following a seven-day preparatory camp in Dehradun, with a blend of established international performers and emerging shooters set to test themselves against a strong global field. The competition runs from October 8 to 16, with medal events beginning on Saturday, October 10. India’s preparations included an intensive national camp at Maharana Pratap Sports College in Dehradun from October 1 to 7, where athletes worked on match simulations and refined their technical routines ahead of the international assignment.

Swapnil Kusale will lead the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions team alongside Akhil Sheoran and Adriyan Karmakar. Kusale made history at the Paris 2024 Olympics by winning bronze in the event, becoming the first Indian to secure an Olympic medal in men’s 50m rifle 3 positions. His experience at the highest level will be central to India’s challenge in a discipline that tests precision across kneeling, prone and standing positions. In the men’s 10m air rifle, Olympian Arjun Babuta will compete alongside Deaflympics champion Dhanush Srikanth and Paarth Makhija. Babuta enters the competition after winning silver at the 2026 Asian Shooting Championships in New Delhi, providing another experienced option in India’s rifle squad.

The women’s rifle contingent features two-time Olympian Anjum Moudgil in the 50m rifle 3 positions, alongside Ayushi Podder and Manini Kaushik. Moudgil’s international experience will be important in an event that demands consistency across all three shooting positions. In the women’s 10m air rifle, Arya Rajesh Borse will compete alongside Khyati Chaudhary and Ismita Bhowal. Borse arrives with encouraging international form after winning silver at the Buenos Aires World Cup. The Cairo competition offers her another opportunity to build on that performance against a strong international field.

Sarabjot leads a competitive pistol contingent.

Sarabjot Singh will spearhead the men’s 10m air pistol team alongside Ajendra Singh Chauhan and Udhayveer Sidhu. The Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist is one of India’s most prominent pistol shooters and will be expected to bring composure and experience to the competition. India’s challenge in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol will be led by Vijayveer Sidhu, who joins Suraj Sharma and Ankur Goel. The event demands rapid execution and consistency across its timed stages, making technical discipline and match management particularly important.

The women’s pistol squad also combines international experience with proven competitive ability. Asian Games champion Palak will contest the 10m air pistol alongside Muskan and Surbhi Rao. In the women’s 25m sports pistol, Olympian Rhythm Sangwan joins former World Cup gold medallist Chinki Yadav and Divya TS. The trio will look to deliver a strong performance in an event that places a premium on accuracy and control under time pressure.

India’s opening day of medal competition will feature the 10m air pistol mixed team and 10m air rifle mixed team events on October 10. In the air pistol mixed team competition, Ajendra Singh Chauhan will partner Palak, while Udhayveer Sidhu will team up with Muskan. The two Indian combinations will have the opportunity to establish momentum early in the campaign.

The air rifle mixed team event will feature Paarth Makhija and Arya Rajesh Borse, along with Dhanush Srikanth and Khyati Chaudhary. Both pairs bring a mix of experience and emerging talent, and their performances will provide an early indication of India’s competitiveness in the mixed team format. Mixed team events place particular emphasis on maintaining consistency across both athletes, with each shot contributing to the team’s overall performance. The ability to manage pressure and recover from individual errors can prove decisive in close contests.

Individual qualification rounds and finals across the 10m, 25m and 50m events will continue through October 15. The schedule gives India opportunities to compete for medals across a broad range of rifle and pistol disciplines.

The seven-day camp in Dehradun was designed to sharpen the squad’s readiness before travelling to Egypt. Match simulations allowed shooters to rehearse competition conditions, while technical work focused on refining routines and improving execution. For the experienced members of the contingent, Cairo represents another opportunity to convert international experience into podium finishes. For younger shooters, the event provides valuable exposure to the demands of a major ISSF competition.

With Olympic medallists Kusale and Sarabjot leading the squad, Babuta returning after an Asian Shooting Championships silver, and Borse bringing recent World Cup success, India has several athletes with encouraging credentials. The immediate challenge will be translating preparation into consistent performances on the firing line. With mixed team finals opening the medal programme and individual events following through October 15, India’s 24-member contingent will have multiple opportunities to make an impact in Cairo.