Commonwealth Games 2026: What Putul Sonowal must do to reach knockout stage in Lawn Bowls?
Putul Sonowal is competing in the men’s singles lawn bowls event
India’s lawn bowls contingent had a mixed outing on Day 2 of the ongoing Commonwealth Games 2026 on Saturday. While the women’s pairs team remained unbeaten in the tournament after a thrilling tiebreak win over Tonga, men’s singles athlete Putul Sonowal saw his winning run come to an end.
Sonowal, who had won his previous two group matches, suffered a comprehensive 2-0 loss against Malaysia’s Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple in a Group D fixture.
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026 (CWG) Day 3 Live Updates
The Malaysian took an early lead in the opening set and, despite Sonowal attempting a comeback, held on to win it 8-4. Dzulkeple had a commanding lead in the second set as well, and held off a late scare from his opponent to close it 9-8 to secure a straight-sets victory.
The loss has dealt a major blow to Sonowal’s chances of making it to the knockout stages. He is currently third in the group standings, with his progression chances no longer fully under his control.
Related: Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s updated schedule for Day 3
How can Putul Sonowal qualify for knockouts?
Let’s look at the Group D standings first:
| Pos | Player | Nation | Played | Won | Game Points | Shots Diff |
| 1 | Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple | Malaysia | 3 | 3 | 9 | 18 |
| 2 | Shaun James Parnis | Malta | 3 | 2 | 6 | 16 |
| 3 | Putul Sonowal | India | 3 | 2 | 6 | -8 |
| 4 | Ryan Bester | Canada | 3 | 1 | 3 | 13 |
| 5 | Cecil Alexander | Falkland Islands | 3 | 1 | 3 | -4 |
| 6 | Anwar Hamada | Kenya | 3 | 0 | 0 | -35 |
Dzulkeple has a commanding lead at the top, having won all three of his group games so far. He also has a healthy shots difference of +18. As a result, he is the heavy favourite at the moment to end up as the group winner.
In second place is Malta’s Shaun James Parnis, who, like third-placed Sonowal, has two wins from three matches. However, Parnis’ shots difference of +16 puts him clear of Sonowal, who has a shots difference of -8.
It is important to remember that only the winners from the four groups progress to the semi-finals, with the other five being eliminated. As such, Sonowal has a tough task on his hands to finish top.
He has two matches left – against Parnis and Kenya’s Anwar Hamada. He has to win by healthy margins in both matches. However, that will still not be enough to qualify for the semi-finals, unless Dzulkeple suffers a defeat in at least one of his remaining two games.
Where and when will Commonwealth Games 2026 take place?
The Commonwealth Games 2026 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2.
What is Putul Sonowal’s current standing in Group D?
He is third in Group D with two wins and one loss, trailing behind Dzulkeple (Malaysia) and Parnis (Malta).
What must Putul Sonowal do to reach lawn bowls knockout stage?
Sonowal must win his remaining two Group D matches vs Parnis (Malta) and Hamada (Kenya) by healthy margins, and hope Dzulkeple loses one of his matches.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.