India's Bowlers Shine at Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow

Strong Start for Indian Bowlers

Glasgow [Scotland], July 24: The Commonwealth Games 2026 kicked off with a thrilling performance from India's Pinki Singh and Rupa Rani Tirkey, who secured a hard-fought win in the women's pairs event. In a remarkable upset, Putul Sonowal triumphed over reigning world champion Ryan Bester from Canada in the men's singles at the Scottish Event Campus on Thursday, as reported by a leading sports outlet.

Pinki and Rupa, who were part of the gold medal-winning women's fours team at Birmingham 2022, faced off against Malta's Connie Rixon and Rebecca Rixon in their Section B match. The Indian pair started strong, dominating the first set with a score of 7-1. However, Malta made a comeback, winning the second set and pushing the match into a tie-break. Pinki's final bowl was crucial in clinching the victory for India.

In another exciting match, 43-year-old Putul Sonowal made a remarkable debut at the Commonwealth Games by defeating the world champion Bester. The reigning Asian champion won in a tie-break after both players split the first two sets. Sonowal took the first set 5-4, but Bester responded with a 7-3 win in the second set during their Section D opener, which includes six competitors vying for a spot in the semi-finals.

Looking ahead, Putul will compete against Cecil Alexander from the Falkland Islands in his next men's singles match, while Pinki and Rupa are set to face South Africa in their upcoming women's pairs event. Both matches are scheduled for Friday.

The bowls competition at Glasgow 2026 has commenced with sectional group play, featuring a round-robin format that determines which players and teams advance to the knockout stages. This year marks the first time the event is being held indoors at a Commonwealth Games, with the primary goal remaining the same: to roll the bowls as close as possible to the jack, the small target ball.