Press Release
Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram co-owned franchise brings together international stars Matias Grande and Andrea Becerra alongside Indian archery talent
Hyderabad, October 08, 2026: Prithviraaj Yodhas, co-owned by actors Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram with Ebix Group as the title sponsor, has announced its eight-member squad for Season 2 of the Archery Premier League (APL). The squad brings together leading Indian archers and world-ranked international talent, with the team set to compete across both the Compound and Recurve categories.
The squad features World No. 1 compound archer Andrea Becerra and World No. 3 recurve archer Matias Grande, alongside Abhishek Verma, Kirti Sharma, Thirumuru Ganesh Mani Ratnam, Gatha Anandrao Khadake, Raj Kaur, and Juyel Sarkar. The eight-member squad is evenly split between men and women, with representation across the Compound and Recurve categories.
Organised by the Archery Association of India (AAI) and backed by World Archery and World Archery Asia, the APL is India's first franchise-based professional archery league. Season 2 will bring together 48 archers, including 36 Indians and 12 international athletes from 10 countries, competing across six franchises over 11 days. The season begins on 8 October at People's Plaza, Necklace Road, Hyderabad.
Prithviraaj Yodhas is co-owned by actors Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram, with Ebix Group as the title sponsor. Lin Laishram is a former national-level archer who won the Junior National Championship in 1998. The partnership brings together Ebix Group's support for the franchise with the co-owners' association with the sport and its growing ecosystem in India.
Speaking ahead of the season, an Ebix Group spokesperson, said, “The Archery Premier League is creating a strong platform for archers from India and around the world to compete at the highest level while bringing greater visibility to the sport. As the title sponsor of Prithviraaj Yodhas, we are pleased to support a squad that brings together experienced Indian talent and world-class international archers. We look forward to an exciting Season 2 and to seeing the team represent the Yodhas with ambition and determination.”
Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram, Co-owners, Prithviraaj Yodhas, said, “Last season, we came very close to winning the title, missing it by just one shoot-off. This year, we have an even stronger team with some of the best international and Indian archers. Our goal is to go all the way and win the title. More importantly, we are happy that the APL is inspiring young Indians, especially girls, to see archery as a professional career. For us, that is just as important as winning.”
The Season 2 field features some of the biggest names in world archery, including World No. 1 recurve archer Marcus D'Almeida, Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Mete Gazoz, Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Casey Kaufhold, and compound stars Mike Schloesser and Ella Gibson. India's leading talent, including Deepika Kumari, Atanu Das, Bommadevara Dhiraj, and Jyothi Surekha Vennam will also feature in the competition.
The tournament will run from 8 to 18 October 2026, with matches played each evening from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm under lights at People's Plaza. The league stage will follow a double round-robin format, with each team playing ten matches. The top four teams will advance to the semi-finals, followed by the final on 18 October. A 15-second shot clock per arrow, five seconds faster than the international standard, will add to the pressure. Matches will be streamed on SonyLIV and Archery+.
About Prithviraaj Yodhas
Prithviraaj Yodhas is one of the six franchises competing in the Archery Premier League. The franchise is co-owned by actors Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram, with Ebix Group as the title sponsor. The team brings together Indian and international archers across Compound and Recurve categories and returns for Season 2 of the league in Hyderabad.
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Venkatesh | 6303374248 | venkatesh@conceptpr.com
