India win historic lawn bowls gold at Commonwealth Games 2022, beat South Africa 17-10 in thrilling final

India's lawn bowls women's fours team made history on Tuesday by winning gold at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. This was the country's first medal in the lawn bowls event and the team, made of skipper Rupa Rani Tirkey, Lovely Choubey, Pinki and Nayanmoni Saikia, ended up winning the title itself after beating 2018 silver medallists South Africa.

South Africa won the coin toss and set the jack after which it was India that took the opening round with a point. They, however, came back in the second, with South African skipper Johanna Snyman ensuring with the last bowl that her team fetched two points. South Africa seemed to have the advantage to equalise the scores while trailing 2-3 during the fifth end. But India captain Rupa Rani Tirkey turned things around with her last bowl which meant that it was her team that took a two-point lead. It extended to a five-point lead after a sensational three-point End 6.