India's Bowls Team Triumphs on Opening Day of Commonwealth Games 2026

India's Successful Start at Commonwealth Games 2026

The Commonwealth Games 2026 kicked off in Glasgow with a thrilling victory for the Indian Bowls Women's Pairs team, who triumphed over Malta in a nail-biting tie-break. The duo of Rupa Rani Tirkey (lead) and Pinki Singh (skip) secured an early advantage for India, dominating the first set with a score of 7-1 at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3. However, Malta's Rebecca Louise Rixon (lead) and Connie-Leigh Rixon (skip) made a strong comeback, winning the second set 4-3.

In a dramatic tie-break, India found themselves trailing, but Pinki delivered a remarkable final bowl that clinched the victory for the team. Additionally, a standout moment for India occurred before the opening ceremony when Putul Sonowal stunned the audience by defeating reigning World Champion Ryan Bester from Canada in the Men's Singles category, securing a spot in the semi-finals. This match also went to a tie-break, marking a historic start for India's campaign.

Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya was present in Glasgow to cheer on the athletes and expressed his excitement over their outstanding performance. He shared his thoughts on social media, stating, "A thrilling start to #Glasgow2026! Witnessed an absolute edge-of-the-seat thriller today as our athletes clinched a spectacular victory on the very last delivery against Malta in the Bowls Women’s Pairs event."