Commonwealth Games 2026: India edge Malta in women's bowls pairs opener

India began its Commonwealth Games 2026 campaign on a winning note as Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh defeated Malta's Connie Rixon and Rebecca Rixon in the women's pairs event on Thursday.

Competing in the Group Stage opener, the Indian duo secured victory in a tie-break after a closely contested encounter.

Tirkey is making her fourth Commonwealth Games appearance, having previously represented India in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Pinki, meanwhile, is competing at her fifth Games after featuring in the 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022 editions.

The women's pairs competition is being played under a new indoor format introduced for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Each match consists of two sets of five ends each. If both teams win one set apiece, the contest is decided by a one-end tie-break.

Each player delivers three bowls in every end, with points awarded to the team whose bowls finish closest to the jack.

Pinki Singh shines as India clinch thrilling opening victory

India made a strong start, picking up two points in the opening end before Malta reduced the deficit with a point in the second.

The Indian pair stayed in control for the remainder of the first set and wrapped it up comfortably, 7-1.

Malta responded strongly in the second set. Pinki Singh produced an excellent final bowl in the opening end to give India the early advantage, but Malta fought back in the second end to level the scores.

India regained the lead in the third end before Malta drew level again in the fourth. Malta then claimed the fifth end to win the second set and force the match into a tie-break.

The tie-break was equally tense. Malta made the better start, but Pinki Singh once again delivered under pressure with a crucial final bowl to help India clinch the deciding end and seal the victory.

The bowls competition follows a round-robin format, with teams divided into four sections. The top team from each section will qualify directly for the semi-finals.

India will return to action on Friday when Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh take on South Africa.

Later in the day, India's Putul Sonowal will begin his men's singles campaign against Canada's Ryan Bester at 6:15 pm IST.

Putul Sonowal wins his first match in Commonwealth games

India's second bowls match at the Commonwealth games 2026 saw Putul Sonowal take on Canada's Ryan Bester in the men's singles sectional round.

The men's singles event follows the same format like the women's but here each match consists of two sets of seven ends, with a tie-breaker played if both players win one set each.

Sonowal got off to a good start by winning the first end and added another point in the second to lead 2-0. Bester fought back and moved 3-2 ahead after winning two points in the fourth end. Sonowal responded in the fifth end by winning two points to regain the lead at 4-3. Those two bowls closest to the jack handed India the advantage. The first set remained close until the seventh end, where Sonowal held on to win the set 5-4.

Bester started the second set strongly by taking two points in the opening end. Sonowal answered with two points in the second end to level the score at 2-2 after the measuring tape was used to separate the bowls.

Bester won one point in the third end and added two more in the fourth to lead 5-2. He continued his run by winning the next two ends, while Sonowal picked up one point in the final end as Bester took the second set. by 7-3

With both players winning one set each, the match went to a tie-breaker. Sonowal won the tie-breaker to defeat three-time Commonwealth Games medallist Ryan Bester and begin his Commonwealth games campaign with a victory.