The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has announced a 12-member Indian team for the upcoming Shotgun World Cup scheduled to take place in Nicosia, Cyprus, from May 3 to 12.
Tokyo Olympian Kynan Chenai will lead the Indian trap squad at the Shotgun World Cup 2025. He will be joined by Shardul Vihan and Bhowneesh Mendiratta in the men’s category. Sabeera Haris, Kirti Gupta, and Rajeshwari Kumari will be the Indian shooters in action in the women’s trap events.
Olympian Mairaj Ahmad Khan will be the face of the Indian side and the onus will be on the 49-year-old to deliver some exceptional performances in skeet events. Abhay Singh Sekhon and Rituraj Singh Bundela are the two other male shooters in skeet, while the female shooters in skeet events include Yashasvi Rathore, Maheshwari Chauhan, and Parinaaz Dhaliwal.
Previously, India had announced a 35-member squad for the ISSF Shooting World Cups in Peru and Argentina, led by double bronze medalist Manu Bhaker. Paris Olympics medalists Swapnil Kusale and Sarabjot Singh failed to earn spots in India’s Shooting World Cups squads.
The Argentina leg of the Shooting World Cup 2025 will take place from April 1 to 11, while the Peru leg of the competition is slated to be held from April 13 to 22. The events in the Shooting World Cup include Air rifle, 50m rifle 3 positions, Air pistol, 25m rapid fire pistol, 25m sports pistol, trap, and skeet for men and women.
India squad for Shotgun World Cup
Trap:
Kynan Chenai, Shardul Vihan, Bhowneesh Mendiratta; Sabeera Haris, Kirti Gupta, Rajeshwari Kumari.
Skeet:
Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Abhay Singh Sekhon, Rituraj Singh Bundela; Yashasvi Rathore, Maheshwari Chauhan, Parinaaz Dhaliwal.
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Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee