Commonwealth Games: India Edge Malta In Dramatic Tie-Break To Win CWG 2026 Women's Pairs Bowls Opener

India beat Malta in a tense tie-break in Bowls Women's Pairs event to begin their Glasgow Commonwealth Games campaign on a winning note in Glasgow on Thursday.

The Indian pair of Rupa Rani Tirkey (lead) and Pinki Singh (skip) dished out a dominant show in the first set, winning it 7-1 and going up 1-0 in the opening round match in section B at the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) Hall 3.

But the Maltese duo of Rebecca Louise Rixon (lead) and Connie-Leigh Rixon (skip) fought back to take the second set 3-4.

In the nervy tie-break, the Indians were lagging behind their opponents before Pinky sent down a fine effort in the last bowl and won the match.

In Bowls, 'Skip' is the team captain, and usually the most experienced player. He or she determines the game plan, and also plays the final two bowls of one 'end'. There are five ends in a set.

'Lead' is the first player to bowl, responsible for placing the mat. He or she sends the bowls as close to the target as possible, before the 'Skip' comes in.

The Indian Women's Pairs team faces South Africa in their second match of Section B on Friday.

Both Tirkey and Pinki were part of the Women's Fours team that won gold in the 2022 Birmingham CWG. But the Men's and Women's Fours events have been excluded in the Glasgow CWG from the Bowls competition features. Only the Men's and Women's singles, and the Men's and Women's Pairs events have been included.

India had also won a silver in the Men's Fours event in the 2022 Birmingham Games.