12 Member Indian Shotgun Team Ready for ISSF World Cup Action in Kazakhstan

India’s 12 member shotgun squad is set to compete in the second ISSF World Cup Shotgun stage of the year, scheduled in Almaty, Kazakhstan , with the team arriving at the venue on Saturday.

The competition will feature a strong field of 284 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees , contesting across five Olympic events over a 10 day schedule. Eight members of the Indian contingent will also participate as RPO shooters, competing for ranking points only.

Action begins on Monday, May 4, with the men’s and women’s skeet qualifiers , followed by the finals the next day. The two trap finals are scheduled for May 9, while the mixed team trap final will conclude the shotgun events on May 10.

India had opened its international shotgun season earlier this year at Tangier, Morocco , which hosted the first World Cup stage in March.

On the opening day in Almaty, three Indian Olympians will be in action, marking their first international appearance of the year. They include experienced shooter Mairaj Ahmad Khan , Anantjeet Singh Naruka in men’s skeet, and Raiza Dhillon in women’s skeet.

The Indian squad will face stiff competition from powerhouses such as Italy , along with strong contingents from Finland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Greece, Peru, and Qatar . Host nation Kazakhstan also fields a competitive squad, while China and Russia are expected to be key challengers, with Russia competing under the designation of Individual Neutral Athletes.

The stage is set for a high intensity contest as India looks to build momentum early in the international season.