Pickleball World Cup 2026 saw India finish fourth in the overall medal standings after a strong performance in Da Nang, Vietnam. The tournament was held from 30 August 2026 and brought together players from countries across the world. India won a total of 41 medals, including seven gold, 17 silver and 17 bronze medals. The result was a major improvement over India’s seventh-place finish in the previous edition.

Pickleball World Cup 2026 Brings Global Players to Vietnam

The 2026 Pickleball World Cup was hosted in Da Nang, a coastal city in central Vietnam. It was the first time that the competition was organised in Asia. The tournament featured national teams, individual events and different age categories. Final event coverage reported participation from 82 countries, showing the growing international interest in pickleball.

Pickleball has expanded quickly in recent years, with more people taking up the sport for recreation and competition. The game uses paddles and a plastic ball with holes and is played on a court smaller than a tennis court. It combines features of tennis, badminton and table tennis.

India Wins 41 Medals

India’s performance included medals across open, junior and senior age-group categories. The country collected seven gold medals, 17 silver medals and 17 bronze medals during the competition.

Several Indian players produced notable performances in individual events. Fayrouz Zaidi won gold in the 40+ Women’s Singles category, while Vivek Reddy secured gold in the 40+ Men’s Singles event. Kiran Salian also won gold in the 50+ Men’s Singles category.

In the junior competition, Purvansh Patel won gold in the Boys Under-18 Singles event. These results added to India’s overall medal total and highlighted participation from players of different age groups.

Bhushan Akut Completes Golden Hat-Trick

One of the standout performances came from Bhushan Akut, captain of India’s 60+ team. On 1 September, Akut won three gold medals at the tournament.

He secured the 60+ Men’s Singles title and then partnered with Ashok Rohira to win the Men’s Doubles. He completed the three-gold performance by winning the Mixed Doubles title with Elizabeth Wilcox.

The performance added three gold medals to India’s tally and became one of the notable moments of the country’s campaign in Vietnam.

Indian Kids Team Reaches the Final

India also performed strongly in the national-team competition. The Indian Kids team was led by captain Veer Shah. The team defeated Japan 3-0 in the semi-final to reach the final.

In the final, India faced the United States but lost the match, finishing with a silver medal. The result gave India’s younger players valuable experience at an international tournament and added another medal to the country’s overall tally.

India’s World Cup Selection Process

The Indian Pickleball Association conducted three days of national selection trials in Ahmedabad on 14 June 2026. The trials were used to select players for the sub-junior and junior teams that represented India at the World Cup.

A total of 48 Indian athletes travelled to Vietnam for the competition. The selection process brought together players from different age groups and helped the association build teams for the international event.

Pickleball Continues to Grow in India

The strong medal performance comes as pickleball continues to attract attention in India. The sport is relatively easy to start because it uses a smaller court and requires less space than traditional tennis.

Pickleball can be played in singles and doubles formats, making it suitable for players of different ages. Its mix of fast rallies, controlled shots and quick movement has helped the sport gain popularity in several countries.

The Indian Pickleball Association has also indicated that grassroots development will be an important area of focus following the World Cup. CEO Aditya Khanna said the federation plans to work on expanding the sport at the grassroots level.

India Improves on Previous World Cup Result

India’s fourth-place finish marks a clear improvement from its seventh-place position at the previous Pickleball World Cup. The 41-medal haul also shows the wider participation of Indian players across age groups and competition categories.

With pickleball gaining international recognition and more countries taking part in major events, India’s performance in Da Nang has added momentum to the sport’s development in the country.