Glasgow: India secure second consecutive win in lawn bowls women’s pairs
India has achieved its second consecutive victory in the lawn bowls women’s pairs event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The Indian pair of Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh defeated South Africa with a score of 2-0 (6-4, 7-5) in their second match in Section B, held at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3.
The South African team, comprising Thabelo Muvhango (lead) and Jacqui Janse van Rensburg (skip), offered a strong challenge but were ultimately overcome by the Indian duo. This win places the Indian pair at the top of the Section B standings.
Previous Match and Player Roles
This recent victory follows India‘s opening match win against Malta, which was decided in a tense tie-break. In that match, the Indian pair initially won the first set 7-1. However, the Maltese duo, consisting of Rebecca Louise Rixon (lead) and Connie-Leigh Rixon (skip), fought back to claim the second set 3-4. The tie-break saw India trailing before Pinki delivered a crucial final bowl to secure the win.
In lawn bowls, the ‘skip’ is the team captain, typically the most experienced player, who strategizes and plays the final two bowls of an ‘end’. The ‘lead’ is the first player to bowl, responsible for placing the mat and aiming to position bowls close to the target before the skip’s turn. There are five ends in a set.
Both Tirkey and Pinki were members of the Women’s Fours team that earned a gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games. However, the Men’s and Women’s Fours events have been excluded from the bowls competition features at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The events included in Glasgow are the Men’s and Women’s Singles and Pairs events.
Men’s Singles Performance
In other lawn bowls action, Putul Sonowal of India also secured a hard-fought victory. After defeating reigning world champion Ryan Bester of Canada in the opening round, Sonowal was pushed to a tie-break against Cecil Alexander of the Falkland Islands in the second round of Section D.
Sonowal, an officer with the Assam Police, won the first set 7-5, recovering from a 3-4 deficit. He leveled the scores at 4-4 and then closed out the set. The second set, however, saw Alexander maintain control, leading to an 8-6 defeat for Sonowal, which leveled the match at 1-1.
The contest then proceeded to a tie-break, where Sonowal maintained composure to claim the decisive point and seal a challenging victory. This win for Sonowal followed his impressive performance on Thursday, where he defeated Ryan Bester, the reigning World Champion, in the Men’s Singles competition.
Bester has a decorated career, including multiple Commonwealth Games medals and World Outdoor Championships medals, with a Singles gold in 2023. He was also inducted into the inaugural World Bowls Hall of Fame class in 2025. Sonowal, who is the reigning Asian champion, won his first set against Bester 5-4 before Bester responded with a 7-3 victory in the second set, forcing the tie-break.
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games mark Sonowal‘s debut in the event. India had previously won a silver medal in the Men’s Fours event at the 2022 Birmingham Games.
Looking Ahead
The strong start by both the women’s pairs team and Putul Sonowal in the Men’s Singles has generated optimism for India‘s performance in the lawn bowls competition at the Commonwealth Games.
The Indian women’s pair currently tops Section B standings after their victory on Friday.
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Source: theprint.in
