New Delhi, May 1: The 12-member Indian shotgun team is fully prepared to participate in the second International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup shotgun stage, taking place in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The event will be held from May 2 to May 11, 2026, featuring a total of 284 athletes representing 42 National Olympic Committees across five Olympic events over ten days. Eight members of the Indian team will compete as RPO (Ranking Points Only) shooters.
The competition will kick off on Monday with the men’s and women’s skeet qualifiers, followed by the finals the next day. Two trap finals are scheduled for May 9, and the fifth and final final (trap mixed team) will take place on May 10, 2026.
The shotgun squad began their international competitions in March in Tangier, Morocco, where the first World Cup stage was held.
On the first day of the competition, three Indian Olympians—senior pro Miraj Ahmed Khan and Anantjeet Singh Naruka in men’s skeet, along with Raiza Dhillon in women’s skeet—will make their international debuts this year.
In addition to the dominant Italians, Indian shooters will face top marksmen from strong shotgun nations such as Finland, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Greece, Peru, and Qatar.
The host nation, Kazakhstan, also boasts a strong squad. With a robust representation from China and Russia, including Russia as individual neutral athletes, Indian shooters will need to deliver their best performances to reach the podium.
Indian marksmen have shown remarkable performances on international platforms recently, and expectations are high for a stellar display in Almaty.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.