Harsh Mehta to lead Indian Pro category charge at Pickleball World Cup 2026
Mumbai, July 9
The Indian Pickleball Association announced the official Team India contingent for the Pickleball World Cup 2026.
Following a highly competitive selection process, the nation's finest senior pickleball talent has been selected to represent India in the Pro category at the Pickleball World Cup 2026, which will be held at Da Nang, Vietnam, from the 30th of August to the 6th of September 2026, according to a press release.
"This squad represents the absolute pinnacle of Indian pickleball. With Harsh Mehta's brilliant leadership alongside dominant forces like Arjun, Anish, Aman, Aaliyah, Mihika and the formidable Amalsdiwala sisters, we have a world-class lineup. We aren't going to Da Nang just to compete; we are going to conquer. This team has the hunger, the depth, and the synergy to bring the World Cup home. Indian Pickleball Association has been and will continue to be committed towards India's pickleball excellence both within the country and on the international stage," said Suryaveer Singh Bhullar, President, Indian Pickleball Association.
"Talent wins matches, but unity wins championships. As Team India, our greatest strength is playing for each other and for our country. We are confident that we will perform well to the best of our potential, and I expect us to go very far in the cup. Extremely happy and grateful to be chosen as the captain for Team India at the upcoming World Cup, and I look forward to giving my absolute best along with the rest of the squad," said Harsh Mehta, Captain, Indian Pro Contingent.
Harsh Mehta has been a recurring name on the international pickleball circuit and will bring crucial experience and knowledge to the squad in their quest to put India higher on the medal tally at the end of the event.
He will be accompanied by Arjun Singh, who is also representing and captaining India in the U/18 category at the World Cup. Anish Frolian and Aman Patel make the cut as well in the men's category.
Mihika Yadav, Aaliyah Ebrahim, Pearl Amalsadiwala and Naomi Amalsadiwali make up the contingent on the women's side. Pearl and Naomi have been formidable on the Indian circuit in recent times with podium finishes in both the women's doubles category and mixed doubles category across every single tournament in the last year.
Naomi Amalsadiwala will be one of the front runners in the mixed doubles category with Arjun Singh based on their recent results, beating legendary teams like Richard Livornese/Megan Fudge and Quang Duong/Shelby Bates, who are ranked in the top 3 of the world rankings.
Backed by Lucknow Leopards, Athletiq, Picklebay, and Electrorush, the Indian contingent enters the 2026 World Cup with renewed ambition after securing a Bronze Medal in the previous edition. This year's squad possesses the depth, balance, and determination required to challenge for the highest honour on the podium.
To maximise performance at the World Cup, the selected athletes will participate in a structured high-performance development program featuring intensive training camps focused on technical excellence, physical conditioning, mental resilience, and sports nutrition.
Final Squad: Harsh Mehta (Captain), Arjun Singh, Anish Frolian, Aman Patel, Mihika Yadav, Aaliyah Ebrahim, Pearl Amalsadiwala, Naomi Amalsadiwala.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive lineup! Having both a captain and a U/18 captain in Arjun Singh shows the depth of talent. The training camps focused on mental resilience and nutrition - that's the professionalism we need to see more of in Indian sports. All the best to the team! 🎾💪
Exciting times for Indian pickleball! The sponsors backing should help, but I hope the association provides continued grassroots support too. We need more courts and coaching in smaller cities to sustain this momentum. Bronze last time was good - gold would be historic! 🤞
Great to see pickleball growing globally and India producing such competitive players. The Amalsadiwala sisters beating Livornese/Fudge is no small feat. Looking forward to watching the matches from Da Nang. Go Team India! 🇮🇳
So proud to see such a balanced team - experience with Harsh, youth with Arjun, and powerhouse women's doubles in Pearl and Naomi. The mixed doubles pairing of Arjun/Naomi sounds lethal. Just hope the training camp is intensive enough to counter the Vietnamese conditions. All the best! 🌟
The selection process sounds thorough. What I appreciate is the emphasis on synergy and unity - that's often what separates medal winners from also-rans in team events. The U/18 captaincy experience for Arjun Singh is smart too. Good luck to the entire contingent! 🇮🇳
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