Indian lawn bowlers secure key wins at Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
India’s Lawn Bowls contingent has commenced its campaign at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with notable victories. Putul Sonowal achieved a significant win in the Men’s Singles Lawn Bowls, while the Women’s Pairs team also secured a crucial tie-break victory.
Putul Sonowal, making his debut at the Commonwealth Games, defeated Ryan Bester in the Men’s Singles Lawn Bowls. Sonowal, who is the reigning Asian champion, won the first set with a score of 5-4. Bester, a multiple Commonwealth Games medallist, responded by winning the second set 7-3, leading to a tie-break. Sonowal maintained his composure to win the tie-break, securing a victory in his opening match in Section D. He is scheduled to face Cecil Alexander of Falkland Islands in his subsequent match.
Women’s Pairs Triumph
The Indian Women’s Pairs team, comprising Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh, also began their competition with a win against Malta. Their opening match in Section B, held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3, was decided in a tie-break. Tirkey and Singh, with Tirkey as the lead and Singh as the skip, dominated the first set, winning it 7-1.
However, the Maltese duo of Rebecca Louise Rixon and Connie-Leigh Rixon fought back to take the second set 3-4. In a closely contested tie-break, Pinki Singh delivered a crucial final bowl to secure the match for India.
Both Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh were part of the Indian women’s fours team that won a gold medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. This achievement marked a historic moment for Indian lawn bowls, as it was the nation’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in the sport. Tirkey will return to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2026 with experience from the previous edition, where she competed under pressure.
The victory in Birmingham brought the sport into national prominence and demonstrated the capability of Indian players to compete successfully against countries with established traditions in lawn bowls. At the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Rupa Rani Tirkey is competing in the women’s pairs event.
Competition Format and Legacy
In Lawn Bowls, the ‘Skip’ is typically the team captain and the most experienced player, responsible for determining the game plan and playing the final two bowls of an ‘end’. An ‘end’ consists of five bowls. The ‘Lead’ is the first player to bowl, placing the mat and aiming to send bowls as close to the target as possible before the ‘Skip’ plays.
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games features Men’s and Women’s singles, and Men’s and Women’s Pairs events in Bowls. The Men’s and Women’s Fours events, which were part of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, have been excluded from the current competition features.
Ryan Bester has a notable history in Lawn Bowls, including a bronze medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games and silver medals in the 2014 and 2018 editions. He has also earned seven World Outdoor Championships medals in Singles and Pairs, which include a gold and a bronze in Singles and Pairs in the 2023 edition. Bester was inducted into the inaugural World Bowls Hall of Fame class.
These early victories provide a confident start for India in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games Lawn Bowls competition.
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Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
