Who is Riley Norton? South Africa's U19 all-rounder and U20 Rugby World Cup finalist
Norton's switch to rugby has been equally impactful. Leading the team in a global competition and now reaching the final signals his growing reputation in the sport. The 20-year-old's leadership and athletic versatility have drawn comparisons with other rare dual-sport athletes. His rise recalls names like Rudie van Vuuren of Namibia, who famously played in the 1999 Rugby World Cup and later dismissed Sachin Tendulkar during the 2003 Cricket World Cup.South Africa will now prepare to face the final hurdle in Italy, with Norton at the helm in what could be a defining moment for a player who has already worn national colours in two sports at the junior level. His journey is quickly becoming one of the most fascinating sporting stories to emerge from South Africa in recent years.- Ends
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NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
Election Commission Uses India's 6-Run Win Against England To Encourage Voting
Thirteen months ago, when India beat South Africa in the final of the ICC World T20, Mohammad Siraj, in an after-match interview, said: "I only believe in Jassi bhai". On Monday, when he walked onto The Oval, England needed 35 runs to win, and they had four wickets in hand. Siraj, who didn't play that final against the Proteas in June 2024, didn't have Jasprit Bumrah with him today. And he told himself: "Believe in yourself." He picked up a fifer and India beat England by six runs to win the fifth and final Test of the series. What looked like a sure-shot English victory on day four turned into a dramatic collapse as Siraj led India to one of the most thrilling comebacks in recent memory. With this win, India levelled the five-match series 2-2, capping off an unforgettable contest. And much like the fans, the Election Commission has tapped into the excitement surrounding the win to promote democratic participation, comparing the win to voting. "Team India wins the 5th Test by just 6 runs! Edge-of-the-seat stuff, because every run is a game-changer. In a democracy, every vote counts just as much. Every eligible elector must enrol in the electoral roll!" they wrote on X. ???? Team India wins the 5th Test by just 6 runs! Edge-of-the-seat stuff, because every run is a game-changer. In a democracy, every vote counts just as much. ✅ Every Eligible Elector must Enroll in the Electoral Roll! ???? @BCCI #INDvsENGTest #OvalTest #TeamIndia #SIR #Bihar — Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) August 4, 2025 Enrolling in the electoral roll means registering yourself as a voter in the country's official list of eligible voters. The Commission's message comes as it carries out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, ahead of state assembly elections due later this year. The drive, which saw a 99.8 per cent participation, collected around 7.24 crore registration forms. The revision led to the removal of approximately 65.6 lakh names from the rolls, mainly classified as dead, duplicate, migrated, or untraceable, leaving 7.24 crore electors in the draft list released on August 1. Opposition parties have slammed the exclusion of Aadhaar, Voter ID (EPIC), and ration cards as valid documents in the voter roll revision process. The Supreme Court is currently hearing the case and has warned it will intervene if it detects large-scale removal of eligible voters. Earlier, the Court directed the Election Commission to accept these commonly used IDs during the SIR. Coming back to the match, the fifth Test match delivered high drama as England, chasing a formidable target of 374, were in cruise control mode. With tons from Joe Root and Harry Brook, the hosts crossed the 300-run mark and seemed well on course for a memorable win. A stunning reversal followed. Mohammed Siraj delivered a fiery spell, tightening the screws when it mattered most. England's batting order crumbled under pressure, losing their last seven wickets for only 66 runs. Finishing the match, India bowled them out for 367, securing victory by a razor-thin margin of six runs, their narrowest in red ball cricket. AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi also celebrated Mohammed Siraj's stellar performance with a tweet in Hyderabadi slang, " Poora khol diye Pasha," meaning Siraj was at his absolute best. The fast bowler, who took 23 wickets in the five-match series and five in the final innings, was named Man of the Match.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Amazing to see how well Washington Sundar played in England: Rhodes
CHENNAI: Following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the Test arena, Indian cricket has entered a new phase. Rohit and Kohli's contributions had long been central to the team's success in the longest format. But, in their absence, a young crop made its mark and showed promise in the India-England series. India's not-so-experienced batting line-up in English conditions rose to the challenge, with Shubman Gill leading from the front in his first series as captain. South African great Jonty Rhodes believes that India's incredible depth has both positive and negative impact. Bowled Over by Miya Magic: Mohammed Siraj shines brightest | IND vs ENG 5th Test 'I think India's biggest disadvantage is the fact that they have got so many players. It is not just the IPL, every state has its own league and it is a great platform for young players to showcase their skill. In India, it is so difficult to know when to retire. When you see young prodigious talent churned out and if you do not give them a chance, you possibly could not lose them but the frustrations will grow. It is kind of a double-edged sword. It is great to see the young players stepping up,' Jonty said, after the opening ceremony of the Asian Surfing Championships in Mamallapuram. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo One such player who made a strong impact was Washington Sundar . The 25-year-old all-rounder played a vital role with both bat and ball. 'Washington has played a lot of limited-overs cricket and it is amazing to see how he played in England. We have seen the importance of all-rounders and there are exciting times ahead,' Jonty, who is the brand ambassador of the Surfing Federation of India, added. There has been quite a bit of talk about the competitiveness in Test cricket, with matches often ending in less than five days. However, the fight in the India-England series came as a pleasant surprise, as the first four Tests went till the fifth day. 'When T20 started, everyone thought that Test cricket would be at risk. But I think we have seen the level of skill now added with this bravery and everyone talks about 'Bazball'. Rishabh Pant is getting himself into all sorts of interesting positions when he is playing and that just makes it exciting. 'If a five-match series comes down to Day 4 in the fifth Test, that is what you want to see. Every single Test in the series had its ups and downs, which kept people engaged throughout.' WTC win an incredible feat for SA After multiple heartbreaks in the knockout stages of ICC events, South Africa finally seized their moment by clinching the World Test Championship title. 'It was interesting because we did not win trophies for a long time. There was criticism from coaches and commentators, mainly the commentators asking who have South Africa played. It is fine because sadly, we do not play a lot of Test cricket. Test cricket is big business and if it is not against Australia or India or England, it is a draining business. 'It has been disappointing how little Test cricket the South Africans get to play. I think it is an incredible feat (WTC win), considering the limited time they spend in the format. Hopefully, now that they have won an ICC trophy, the shackles will be released.' For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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First Post
5 hours ago
- First Post
Very happy moment for all the Indian chess fans, says GM Divya Deshmukh after winning FIDE Women's World Cup
In an exclusive conversation with Rupha Ramani on the latest episode of First Sports, Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh reflects on her victory over senior compatriot Koneru Humpy in the historic all-Indian final of the FIDE Women's World Cup, pays tribute to her late coach Rahul Joshi among other topics. read more Divya Deshmukh became the toast of the chess community recently after defeating veteran Grandmaster Koneru Humpy in a historic all-Indian final at the FIDE Women's World Cup in Batumi, Georgia last week. Divya entered the tournament as an International Master and signed off from the tournament with the trophy in her hand and 'Grandmaster' against her name – earning the latter without having to collect the three norms required for the title. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Speaking to Rupha Ramani on the latest episode of First Sports, the 19-year-old from Nagpur, Maharashtra opened up on her incredible World Cup campaign, in which she defeated three players ranked inside the world top-10 including Humpy and how it's bringing more recognition to women's chess in India. 'Very happy that chess is getting so much recognition, especially women's chess and Indian chess, and I think it's a very happy moment for all the Indian chess fans,' Deshmukh said on the show. 'Yes I think definitely. In the men's (chess), we are undeniably one of the best right now. I think I can say we are the best, and I think in women's chess also, we are getting quite close,' the teen GM added on the topic of India further stamping its authority as a superpower in chess. Deshmukh also opened up on the absence of women when it came to the discussion of chess' elite, but hoped her victory inspired young kids, especially girls, to take up the sport and ensure India's flag keeps flying high in the world of chess. 'I think the unfortunate thing is that lesser women play chess, so it's a pity that since lesser women play, the lesser they reach the top. So I'm hoping this win encourages a lot of young girls, lot of kids and especially young girls, to take up chess and hopefully we can see much stronger Indian chess in the next few years,' she continued. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Newly-crowned world champion pays tribute to her late coach Divya also opened up on her chess journey that began at the tender age of five and how her late coach Rahul Joshi played a central role in moulding her into the world-class player that she is today. Joshi, a reputed chess coach based in Nagpur who had also trained GM Raunak Sadhwani, had passed away at the age of 40 in April 2020. 'I was five when I started chess and of course like any other five-year-old, it was really boring for me, I did not understand it and I used to sleep in my classes. Once I got to know how much a sport teaches you… of course I was too young to understand the depth of it. But I think the way it taught me about life, failures, successes, how to handle myself and nerves, I think sport is something that every child should do just for human development. Once I started winning tournaments, I fell in love with it,' Deshmukh continued. 'Rahul sir has had the biggest impact on me. He was my first coach, so he has been the guiding force for me and my parents. He has led us to understand how the chess world works. When I won my first nationals, we didn't even know there is selection for Asians and Worlds. So, he was the one who accompanied me, taught me how the entire chess world works, and I think I owe my entire start and a lot of my journey to him, because if not for him, I wouldn't have started. So in a way, I owe it all to him,' she added. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Watch the full interview here:
