CWG 2026: Putul Sonowal stuns world champion Ryan Bester in bowls thriller

NEW DELHI: India got their Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games campaign off to a sensational start with bowler Putul Sonowal stunning against reigning world champion Ryan Bester of Canada in the men’s singles competition on Thursday.On his Commonwealth Games debut, the Assam-born bowler showed remarkable composure to defeat one of the biggest names in the sport, winning the match in a thrilling tie-break after both players shared the opening two sets.Sonowal, the reigning Asian champion, won the first set 5-4 before Bester responded emphatically with a dominant 7-3 victory in the second set to force a decider.But the Indian kept his composure when it mattered most and overcame the tie-break to complete a memorable victory in his Section D opener.The win was particularly significant given Bester’s decorated career. The Canadian has won multiple Commonwealth Games medals, including men’s singles bronze in 2006 and silver medals in 2014 and 2018. He also boasts seven World Outdoor Championships medals, including a singles gold in 2023, and was inducted into the inaugural World Bowls Hall of Fame class in 20025.Sonowal will face Cecil Alexander of the Falkland Islands next Friday.

Rupa Rani-Pinki survives thriller in Women’s Pairs

India’s strong start continued in the Women’s Pairs event where the experienced duo of Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh defeated Malta in another dramatic tie-break.The Indian pair got off to a flying start at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3, winning the opening set 7-1 against Malta’s Rebecca Louise Rixon and Connie-Leigh Rixon.But Malta fought back in the second set, won 4:3 and took the match to a decisive tie-break. In a thrilling finish, India found themselves on their heels before Pinki produced a brilliant final bowl to seal the win.In lawn bowls, the skip is the team captain who decides the strategy and plays the last two balls of the end, while the leader delivers the first ball and focuses on positioning close to the target.The Indian women’s doubles team will now take on South Africa in their second Section B match on Friday.Both Tirkey and Pinki were members of India’s historic women’s fours team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Games. However, the Fours tournaments were removed from the Glasgow edition, leaving only the singles and men’s pairs competitions.India also won a silver medal in the men’s four in Birmingham and Sonowal’s stunning opening victory raised hopes of another strong campaign on grass.