Malaysia and England will contest 2 bowls finals at Glasgow 2026 after a semifinal session that tightened with every delivery. Players paused at the mat, spectators leaned toward the rink and cheers rolled across the venue as several matches reached deciding tie breaks.
Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple produced the biggest result by ending Aaron Wilson’s unbeaten Commonwealth Games singles record. The Malaysian will face England’s Sam Tolchard for Men’s Singles gold after Tolchard defeated Northern Ireland’s Gary Kelly.
Malaysia also advanced in the Women’s Pairs. Aleena Ahmad Nawawi and Syafiqa Abdul Rahman recovered from losing the opening set against Northern Ireland before winning the tie break. England’s Sian Honnor and Amy Pharaoh completed the second final matchup by surviving another close contest against Wales.
Scotland then added a home gold medal opportunity. Mary Stevenson delivered the crucial final bowl against New Zealand to send herself and Robert Barr into the Para Mixed Pairs B2 B3 final against England.
Dzulkeple Silences Wilson’s Bid For A Third Straight Gold
Wilson entered the Men’s Singles semifinal carrying 1 of the strongest records in Commonwealth bowls. The Australian had won gold at Gold Coast 2018 and Birmingham 2022 without losing a singles match at either Games.
His authority appeared intact during the opening set. Wilson controlled the early exchanges, kept Dzulkeple under pressure and claimed the set 5 to 2.
Dzulkeple refused to let the match follow the expected script. The 34 year old Malaysian found a steadier line in the second set and began placing his bowls in positions that forced Wilson to respond. Each successful delivery brought more noise from the Malaysian supporters gathered around the rink.
As the score tightened, the atmosphere changed. Conversations stopped before each bowl left the hand. Applause broke out only after the players had studied the head and confirmed which bowl held shot.
Dzulkeple won the second set and forced a 1 end tie break. With Wilson’s unbeaten record and Dzulkeple’s 1st Commonwealth final place resting on a handful of deliveries, the Malaysian held his nerve. He placed the stronger bowl and ended Wilson’s long run as champion.
That result moved Dzulkeple into a final against another experienced opponent. Tolchard advanced in straight sets against Kelly and will compete at his 5th Commonwealth Games. He already owns 4 Games medals, including pairs silver and fours bronze from Birmingham 2022.
Tolchard also won the 2025 Bowls World Cup, but Commonwealth gold remains missing from his record. Dzulkeple has already removed the defending champion. His next task is to stop an English player who has spent years building toward this opportunity.
Malaysia’s Women Carry The Momentum Into Another Decider
The energy from Dzulkeple’s victory spread across the venue while Malaysia’s Women’s Pairs team fought to rescue its own semifinal. Supporters followed both contests, shifting their attention between rinks as the nation’s medal hopes developed almost at the same time.
Nawawi and Abdul Rahman had lost the opening set to Northern Ireland’s Chloe Wilson and Shauna O’Neill. Rather than chase the match with risky deliveries, they worked their way back through controlled weight and better placement.
Malaysia took the second set and forced another tie break. The venue grew quiet as the deciding bowls travelled down the rink, then erupted when Nawawi and Abdul Rahman secured their place in the gold medal match.
Abdul Rahman has already experienced a Commonwealth final. She won silver in the Women’s Triples at Birmingham 2022. Nawawi is competing at her 1st Games, but she has shown little discomfort under pressure.
England will present a more experienced challenge. Honnor has collected a medal at each of her previous 4 Commonwealth Games, including gold in 2014 and 2022. Pharaoh has also medalled at 4 Games and won the Women’s Pairs title at Delhi 2010.
Their experience did not spare them from tension in the semifinal. Wales pair Lauren Gowen and Amy Williams pushed the English duo into a tie break, drawing loud support with each bowl that crowded the jack.
Honnor and Pharaoh eventually closed out the result. That victory completed the Malaysia against England double final and ensured that the rivalry running through the hall would continue into the medal session.
Stevenson Gives The Home Crowd Its Defining Moment
While Malaysia and England built their double showdown, Scotland created another source of noise inside the venue. Barr and Stevenson were locked in a close Para Mixed Pairs semifinal against New Zealand, with neither team able to gain lasting control.
The contest reached its decisive stage with the second set still in balance. Barr had the experience of winning Commonwealth gold at Birmingham 2022. Stevenson, competing at her 1st Games, faced the delivery that would determine whether Scotland reached the final.
She settled at the mat as the home crowd waited. Stevenson released the bowl with the required line and weight, placing it where New Zealand could not produce an answer.
The silence gave way to a surge of applause. Scotland had secured at least silver and earned a final against England.
“Mary came up really well with the last bowl in the last end. It really is Mary, Queen of Shots,” Scotland skip Robert Barr said.
Barr’s nickname reflected more than 1 successful delivery. Stevenson had produced her best bowl at the exact moment Scotland needed it.
Directors Sarah Jane Ewing and Jim Aitken have also played a central role in the partnership, helping the visually impaired bowlers understand the rink, judge distance and choose their lines. Their communication will again carry major weight in the final.
England now stands between Scotland and home gold. Ron Homer and Sally Ann Lewis Wall reached the Para Mixed Pairs final by defeating Wales, giving England a 3rd bowls title opportunity during the medal session.
Malaysia will face England twice, while Scotland meets England for Para gold. The semifinals rewarded nerve under pressure. The finals will demand it again, 1 bowl at a time.
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FAQs
Q1. Which bowls finals will feature Malaysia and England?
Malaysia and England will meet in the Men’s Singles and Women’s Pairs finals at Glasgow 2026.
Q2. Who will Izzat Shameer Dzulkeple face in the final?
Dzulkeple will face England’s Sam Tolchard in the Men’s Singles gold medal match.
Q3. How did Dzulkeple reach the Men’s Singles final?
He defeated defending champion Aaron Wilson after losing the opening set and winning a deciding tie break.
Q4. Who is Mary Queen of Shots?
Robert Barr gave Mary Stevenson the nickname after her decisive final bowl sent Scotland into the Para Mixed Pairs final.
Q5. Who will Scotland face in the Para Mixed Pairs final?
Mary Stevenson and Robert Barr will face England for the Glasgow 2026 gold medal.
