The Indian women’s pairs team, comprising Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh, has continued its strong performance at the Commonwealth Games 2026, securing a third consecutive victory in the lawn bowls competition. The duo defeated Tonga in a tie-breaker, moving closer to a semifinal berth.
Both Tirkey and Singh were members of India’s women’s fours team that achieved a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022. Their experience has been evident as they navigated a challenging match against Tonga’s Paris Baker and Milika Nathan in their Section B encounter.
Dominant Performance in Section B
The match against Tonga saw the Indian pair emerge victorious with a 2-0 scoreline in a tie-breaker, after the two sides split the first two sets. Tonga initially took the lead in the opening end, with Baker’s performance putting early pressure on the Indian team. However, Rupa Rani Tirkey responded with a strong second bowl in the subsequent end, and Pinki Singh, acting as skip, guided the team to level the scores at 1-1.
India then gained momentum, effectively combining their efforts over the remaining ends to secure the first set with a score of 5-2. The second set presented a tougher challenge, as Baker and Nathan dominated the early stages, establishing a 6-0 advantage after three ends. Despite a late recovery attempt by Rupa and Pinki, Tonga claimed the second set 6-4, which led to a decisive tie-breaker.
In the tie-breaker, the Indian duo rose to the occasion. Rupa Rani Tirkey provided an early advantage for India, and Pinki Singh then calmly sealed the victory, preserving India’s unbeaten record in the competition. This win marks their third successive victory in the women’s pairs event.
Prior to their match against Tonga, the Indian pair had also secured a win against South Africa. In that match, Rupa Rani Tirkey (lead) and Pinki Singh (skip) defeated the South African pair of Thabelo Muvhango and Jacqui Janse van Rensburg 2-0, with set scores of 6-4 and 7-5. This victory was their second consecutive win in the event.
Their opening match on Thursday saw them overcome Malta in a tie-breaker. India won the first set 7-1, but the Maltese duo of Rebecca Louise Rixon and Connie-Leigh Rixon fought back to take the second set 3-4. In a tense tie-breaker, Pinki Singh delivered a crucial final bowl to secure the win for India.
Understanding Lawn Bowls Roles
In lawn bowls, the ‘lead’ player is responsible for initiating each end and placing bowls as close as possible to the jack. The ‘skip’, typically the most experienced player, is tasked with determining the game plan and delivering the final bowls of each end. Pinki Singh fulfills the role of skip for the Indian women’s pairs team, while Rupa Rani Tirkey is the lead.
Currently, India holds a strong position in Section B of the women’s pairs competition. While England also has three wins from three matches in Section B, they are ahead in the standings due to claiming one more set than the Indian pair. Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh are scheduled to face their Namibian counterparts in their fourth-round match in Section B.
Mixed Results for India’s Contingent
While the women’s pairs team has been successful, other Indian athletes have faced varied outcomes. In the men’s singles event, Putul Sonowal experienced his first defeat in the third round, losing to Malaysia’s Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple. Sonowal lost 0-2 with set scores of 4-8 and 8-9 in a match that lasted approximately one hour at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3.
Despite the loss, Sonowal remains in second place in his section and is set to play against Shaun James Parnis of Malta next. Sonowal had previously made headlines by defeating reigning world champion Ryan Bester of Canada in the opening round and also overcame Cecil Alexander of the Falkland Islands in a tie-breaker during the second round of Section D.
In swimming, it was a disappointing day for India. Dhakshan Shashikumar and Aryan Nehra did not advance to the men’s 400m freestyle final. Shashikumar finished 15th overall among 27 swimmers with a time of 3:58.09, while Nehra placed 16th overall with a time of 4:00.26 at the Tollcross Swimming Centre.
The Men’s and Women’s Singles and Pairs events are included in the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, while the Men’s and Women’s Fours events, which saw India win gold and silver respectively in 2022, have been excluded from the bowls competition features.
Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh will next face their Namibian counterparts in their fourth-round match in Section B on Sunday.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
