41 Medals in Pickleball World Cup Mark India's Meteoric Rise in Pickleball
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The Indian team registered a massive leap on the international stage by securing fourth place overall out of 82 competing nations at the recently concluded Pickleball World Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam. India wrapped up its campaign with a tally of 41 medals—comprising 7 gold, 17 silver, and 17 bronze—marking a clear climb from its seventh-place finish in the previous edition.
The country fielded a 48-athlete core delegation across the Kids, Juniors, Open, Seniors, and Masters team categories. Managed by Team India Coordinator Aalap Sharma, the total Indian presence swelled to over 130 athletes when accounting for those competing in individual events.
Podium Performances and Team Campaigns
The defining moment in the team formats came from the Kids squad, led by captain Veer Shah, which clinched a silver medal. Shah was also named best captain in the Kids category alongside teammates Viransh Chopra, Aarin Ballani, Mahika Rathod, Maansi Karthik, Aashritaa S, Kaveer Mehta, and Praathnaa Motiani.
Other category results saw mixed outcomes against fierce international competition:
- Juniors Team: Led by Arjun Singh, the squad finished in fourth place after a quarterfinal defeat to Vietnam and a hard-fought bronze medal match.
- Open Team: Captained by Harsh Mehta, the side exited 2-4 in the quarterfinals on the penultimate day against eventual finalists USA.
- Masters Team: Bowed out in the quarterfinals to host nation Vietnam in a deciding tie after being locked at 2-2.
- Seniors Team: Ended its campaign in the round of 16 against New Zealand.
Individual Champions Drive Gold Rush
Individual events delivered the bulk of India’s top-tier silverware. Bhushan Akut emerged as a standout performer, capturing three individual gold medals across the 60+ Men’s Singles, 60+ Men’s Doubles (partnering Ashok Rohira), and 60+ Mixed Doubles.
Purvansh Patel earned gold in the U/18 Boys Singles, while Fayrouz Zaidi and Vivek Reddy claimed top honours in the 40+ Women’s Singles and 40+ Men’s Singles respectively. In the Open Pro Men’s Doubles, Harsh Mehta secured a bronze medal.
Grassroots Focus and Looking Ahead
Following the performance, Indian Pickleball Association (IPA) President Suryaveer Singh Bhullar stressed that the team travelled to Da Nang to assert its position among the world's elite. IPA CEO Aditya Khanna stated that finishing fourth sends a major signal to international competitors, adding that the association will now pivot towards strengthening grassroots development across India to train more talent for future global editions.
