CWG 2026: Sonowal falls short as India suffer first defeat of grass-court campaign

India’s start to the 2026 Commonwealth Games came to a screeching halt on Saturday night when Asian champion Putul Sonowal suffered a straight sets loss to unbeaten Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple of Malaysia.

Sonowal lost 4–8, 8–9 in a thrilling Section D third match at the Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Centre. The result marks the first comprehensive defeat of the entire Indian bowls contingent across all disciplines in Glasgow, snapping a remarkable multi-match unbeaten streak that has given the country a dream start to the Games.

2026 Commonwealth Games: Update

END Series

Known for his ice-cold late-game heroics in the opening rounds, where he produced dramatic turnarounds in the tie-break against world champion Ryan Bester and Cecil Alexander of the Falkland Islands, Sonowal failed to pull off another clutch escape against the clinical Malaysian international. Dzulkeple dictated terms early in the opening set, controlling the jack and racing to a quick 4-0 lead before Sonowal could make his line. Sonowal fell to the edge and the score came back to 4–3, but Dzulkeple regrouped in the closing ends to pull out the deciding bowls to take the set 8–4. Despite falling behind early, Putul Sonwal continued to fight. (Image: PTI)

The second set brought high drama and showed Sonowal’s refusal to go down quietly. The Indian veteran, who was 0–3 early on, adjusted his weight and mounted a determined rally to stay alive.

QUALIFYING PICTURE

Entering the End 7, the 43-year-old Indian took a tactical time-out to consult with his coach on the green before delivering his final attempt. Sonowal came through under pressure, came close and scored a gutsy three points to reduce the deficit to 8–9. However, Dzulkeple held his nerve under intense pressure on his final serve to secure the only point needed to seal a 2-0 match win. Putul Sonowal is now sitting at the 2nd position in Section D. (Image: PTI)

The setback left Sonowal in second place in Section D with a 2–1 record and -8 shot differential, while Dzulkeple remain firmly entrenched at the top of the table with a perfect 3–0 mark and nine game points.

Under the strict format of the Glasgow 2026 tournament, only the first place in each section advances directly to the semi-finals, leaving no wildcard entries or second chances for second in the group. Sonowal no longer controls his own qualifying destiny. India’s top singles star must now convincingly win his remaining group matches against Shaun James Parnis and Anwar Hamad and rely on results from other sections if he hopes to keep his medal chase alive.

– The end

Issued by:

Amar Panicker

Published on:

25 Jul 2026 21:09 IST