India has achieved its second consecutive victory in the lawn bowls women’s pairs event, defeating South Africa in a dominant display. This win places the Indian pair at the top of their section standings.
The duo of Rupa Rani Tirkey, acting as the lead, and Pinki Singh, the skip, secured a 2-0 win against their South African opponents. The match, held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3, saw the Indian team win the sets 6-4 and 7-5. The South African team, comprising Thabelo Muvhango (lead) and Jacqui Janse van Rensburg (skip), offered a strong challenge but ultimately could not overcome the Indian pair.
India’s Strong Start in Glasgow
This recent victory follows India’s initial success in the tournament. On Thursday, the Indian pair had faced Malta in their opening match, which concluded with a tense tie-break. In that encounter, Tirkey and Singh won the first set 7-1. However, the Maltese team, consisting of Rebecca Louise Rixon (lead) and Connie-Leigh Rixon (skip), mounted a comeback to take the second set 3-4.
The tie-break against Malta was a closely contested affair. India found themselves trailing at one point, but Pinki Singh delivered a crucial final bowl to clinch the match. This strong start has set a positive tone for India’s campaign in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.
In lawn bowls, the ‘skip’ is the team captain, typically the most experienced player, who guides the game plan and delivers the final two bowls of an ‘end’. The ‘lead’ is the first player to bowl, responsible for placing the mat and aiming to position the bowls as close to the target as possible before the skip’s turn.
Individual Successes and Event Changes
Beyond the women’s pairs, Putul Sonowal also secured a hard-fought victory in the men’s singles. Sonowal, an officer with the Assam Police, had previously made headlines by defeating reigning world champion Ryan Bester of Canada in the opening round. In his second-round match, Sonowal was pushed to a tie-break against Cecil Alexander of the Falkland Islands in Section D.
The 43-year-old Indian player won the first set 7-5, recovering from a 3-4 deficit. Although Alexander took the second set 8-6, forcing a tie-break, Sonowal maintained his composure to secure the decisive point and win the match.
Both Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh were part of the Women’s Fours team that won a gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. India also earned a silver medal in the Men’s Fours event at the same games. However, the Men’s and Women’s Fours events have been excluded from the Bowls competition features in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The current games in Glasgow include the Men’s and Women’s Singles and Pairs events.
Sonowal’s victory against Ryan Bester, who has a decorated career including multiple Commonwealth Games medals and World Outdoor Championships medals, has further heightened expectations for India’s lawn bowls performance. Bester was inducted into the inaugural World Bowls Hall of Fame class in 2025.
The Indian Women’s Pairs team will continue their campaign in Section B.
Source: theprint.in
Priya Nair
Sports Reporter
