CWG 2026: India suffer tie-break setback against Namibia in Bowls Women's Pair; Semifinal hopes alive ahead of England clash
Glasgow, July 26
India's unbeaten run in the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2026 in Bowls Women's Pairs came to an end in heartbreaking fashion, with Namibia prevailing 3-0 in the tie-break on Sunday in Glasgow.
India's Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh staged a superb comeback to force a tie-break against Namibia in the women's pairs lawn bowls event at the Commonwealth Games 2026, as per ESPN.
After dropping the opening set 7-5, the Indian duo responded dominantly, cruising to a 10-1 victory in the second set to level the contest and shift the momentum in their favour.
The tie-break marked India's third in four matches, having already similarly overcome Malta and Tonga earlier in the competition.
India's defeat proved less damaging after England went down to South Africa in another fixture, leaving India, England and Namibia level on points heading into the final round of matches.
The semifinal race remains wide open, and India's equation is straightforward: beat England later on Sunday to keep their qualification hopes alive.
While the scenario is simple on paper, overcoming a strong English side will be a formidable challenge.
Earlier, Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh continued their impressive run in the women's pairs sectional play.
Rupa Rani and Pinki registered their third consecutive victory, edging Tonga 5-2, 4-6, 1-0 in a hard-fought tiebreaker.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Losing to Namibia in a tie-break is disappointing, but we are still very much alive. The equation is clear: beat England. I just hope the girls can handle the pressure. The previous tie-break wins against Malta and Tonga should give them confidence. Come on India, we are behind you all the way! 👏
Fair play to Namibia, they held their nerve. But India's fighting spirit is really impressive. Three tie-breaks in four matches! That's crazy. I grew up watching bowls in Scotland, and it's great to see India taking to the sport. Good luck against England, it's going to be a cracker. ☘️
It's great to see women's lawn bowls getting attention in India. Rupa Rani and Pinki are doing something really special here. But I do feel the team needs to be a bit more consistent in the first set. Three tie-breaks suggests they are starting slowly. If we fix that, we can beat anyone. That 10-1 second set was awesome though! 💪
As someone who played bowls in Australia, I know how tricky tie-breaks can be. Good on India for fighting back! England will be tough, but they lost to South Africa too. It's all to play for. I'm rooting for India to make the semis. Best of luck, girls! 😊
Another tie-break, another win? Wait, this time it was a loss. But credit to the Indian duo for pushing Namibia all the
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