Putul Sonowal's Commonwealth Games semifinal hopes hang by a thread after Malta defeat

India's Putul Sonowal will head into his final group-stage match needing both a victory and favourable results elsewhere after suffering a 0.5-1.5 defeat to Malta's Shaun James Parnis in the men's singles sectional competition at the Commonwealth Games on Sunday.The loss dealt a significant blow to Sonowal's hopes of reaching the semifinals, leaving him third in Group D with six game points after four matches. Malaysia's Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple tops the standings with a perfect 12 points from four wins, while Parnis strengthened his grip on second place with nine points. With only one round of league matches remaining, the Indian no longer controls his own fate in the race for the knockout stage.Sonowal endured a difficult start against the in-form Maltese bowler, who dominated the opening set from the outset. Parnis surged into a commanding 10-0 lead after five ends, putting the contest beyond Sonowal's reach. The Indian managed to restore some respectability to the scoreline by picking up two shots in each of the final two ends, but still conceded the set 4-10.INDIA AT COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2026: DAY 3 UPDATES Facing elimination, Sonowal produced a spirited response in the second set. He recovered from a 0-4 deficit by collecting four shots in the third end to level the scores before building a 7-4 advantage after five ends. The momentum had shifted in the Indian's favour, but Parnis responded under pressure, claiming two shots in the sixth end and another in the seventh to force a 7-7 draw.Under the Commonwealth Games' two-set format, each set is worth one point, while a drawn set earns half a point for each player. Parnis therefore secured a 1.5-0.5 victory, enough to move closer to securing one of the two semifinal spots from Group D. Despite the setback, Sonowal remains mathematically in contention. He will face bottom-placed Kenya's Anwar Hamada in his final league fixture on Monday and will need to claim maximum points to move to nine game points. Even then, the Indian's qualification hopes will hinge on other results in the group and the tournament's tie-break criteria.Sonowal had opened his campaign with back-to-back victories over Canada's Ryan Bester and Falkland Islands' Cecil Alexander before suffering defeats to group leader Dzulkeple and now Parnis. While qualification is no longer entirely in his hands, the Indian will be hoping for one final twist in Group D as he looks to keep his Commonwealth Games medal dream alive.- EndsPublished By: Amar PanickerPublished On: Jul 26, 2026 22:30 IST