FIFA World Cup 2026: Norway’s ‘Viking Row’ fever reaches India as amb…

New Delhi [India], July 10 (ANI): Norway’s Ambassador to India, May-Elin Stener, led the viral ‘Viking Row’ celebration at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi on Thursday, joining embassy officials and football fans in recreating the signature chant that has become synonymous with Norway’s historic FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign.

Norway’s World Cup campaign has captured global attention because of the ‘Viking Row’, a synchronised celebration in which supporters mimic rowing a Viking longboat. The tradition has gone viral across social media, with players including Erling Haaland and captain Martin Odegaard joining supporters after victories.

Appearing in their first-ever quarter-finals against England, scheduled for July 11 (local time), Norway’s incredible run in the tournament, which also includes an impressive 2-1 win over Brazil in the Round of 16, has been powered by Manchester City’s goal-scoring machine Haaland, who is amongst the contenders for the Golden Boot with seven goals, just one behind Argentina icon Lionel Messi. mwafrika.life

May-Elin Stener said Norway reaching the quarter-finals for the first time has created immense excitement across the country. She praised the team’s strong unity and collective effort, adding that the success has brought Norway into the global spotlight while allowing the nation to share its history and showcase the widespread passion and support for football among its people.

“This is the first time we are in the quarter-final. That’s very exciting for the whole of Norway. So that’s the feeling that we have. Very excited… we also have a very good team supporting him and playing very well together. that’s our strength… It’s very exciting that Norway in this way is coming into the news. Then we can also shed a little light on our history and we can also show the world that we are very happy and very supportive of our football team and everyone in Norway is very interested in football," she said while speaking to ANI.

Norway’s clash against England will witness Haaland battling the talismanic England skipper Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham.

During the match against Brazil, Haaland’s goal tally in the World Cup went to seven goals after a brace, making him the player with the joint-most goals in his debut World Cup since Poland’s Grzegorz Lato scored seven in 1974.

Haaland is averaging a goal every 14 touches in the tournament, the lowest ratio of any player to score three or more goals in a single World Cup edition over the past 60 years.

Haaland has netted seven goals from just 18 shots at the 2026 World Cup, giving him a 39% conversion rate. This is the best finishing efficiency (with 15 or more shots) in a single World Cup since Gary Lineker in 1986, who scored six goals from 15 shots at a 40 per cent rate.

With the win over Brazil, Norway are the only side among 91 nations Brazil have faced that they have never managed to beat, with two draws and three defeats in five meetings. (ANI)

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India captain Shreyas Iyer and England captain Harry Brook shake hands after the fourth T20I at the Seat Unique Stadium in Bristol, England, on July 9, 2026. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

India vs England: England beat India by nine wickets in the fourth T20I in Bristol. They chased down India’s total of 158 with 37 balls to spare. The win gave England their first-ever series win over India in T20Is and will make them the No. 1 ranked T20I side if they win the final match.

Harry Brook scored 79 not out. Phil Salt scored 59 not out. Their unbroken second-wicket partnership was worth 146 runs off 70 balls.

India’s captain Shreyas Iyer scored 80 not out. He was the only India batter to perform well. No other India batter scored more than 15. India have now lost five T20Is in a row for the first time in their history.

England’s bowlers used short balls effectively. Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue took four wickets between them. Sam Curran and Will Jacks were also economical. Iyer took on Adil Rashid, scoring 44 of the 49 runs he conceded.

The final match of the series will be played in Southampton on Saturday.

Shreyas Iyer Achieves Unique T20I Record Despite India’s Series-Sealing Defeat

Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 80 off 49 balls in the fourth T20I against England in Bristol. India posted 158 for 7.

Iyer recorded a unique milestone during his innings. He scored 44 runs off 16 deliveries against England leg-spinner Adil Rashid. This is the third-most runs scored by an Indian batter against a single bowler in a T20I innings.

He is now behind Sanju Samson, who scored 45 off 10 against Rishad Hossain in 2024, and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored 44 off 15 against Aaron Hardie in 2023.

India lost wickets regularly after the opening stand was broken. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi fell for 15. Ishan Kishan scored 4 and Abhishek Sharma made 16. India were struggling at 48 for 3 inside the first seven overs.

England’s pace attack, led by Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, kept the pressure on. Archer finished with 2 for 20 and Tongue took 2 for 36.

India were set for a lower total but Iyer’s late assault helped them cross 150. However, England won the match by nine wickets and sealed the series.

Shreyas Iyer Explains India’s T20I Series Loss After England Defeat

India captain Shreyas Iyer provided a bizarre explanation for India’s T20I series loss to England. India have now lost five of their six matches under his leadership, with defeats against Ireland and England.

Iyer said the team is in a “transition phase” and mistakes are expected because several young players are adapting to overseas conditions for the first time. He said the players would become stronger if they learn from their mistakes quickly.

Iyer was the only bright spot with the bat, scoring 80 not out. He admitted his innings counted for little in a losing cause. India posted 158, which he conceded was not a competitive total.

He also said India failed to execute their bowling plans after an encouraging start with the early dismissal of Jos Buttler. He said they were short in execution and conceded loose balls.

India will play the final T20I in Southampton on Saturday, looking to avoid a 4-1 series defeat. Iyer is still searching for his first win as T20I captain after six matches in charge.

India vs England 5th T20I Preview

The fifth and final T20I between India and England will be played on Saturday, July 11, in Southampton. England have already won the series after taking an unassailable 3-0 lead with a dominant nine-wicket victory in Bristol.

In the fourth T20I, India won the toss and batted first, scoring 158 for 7. Captain Shreyas Iyer was the only standout with 80 runs. No other Indian batter scored more than 22. Jofra Archer took 2 for 20 and Josh Tongue took two wickets. England chased down the target in just 13.5 overs. Harry Brook scored 79 not out and Phil Salt made 59 not out.

This series defeat is part of a wider slump for India. This is the first time they have lost back-to-back T20I series since 2018-19. The defeat at Bristol came after their heaviest T20 loss in terms of runs at Trent Bridge. Iyer has said the team is in transition, with many young players adapting to English conditions. The tour also follows a shock 2-0 series loss to Ireland.

Although the series is decided, the final match still matters. England can become the No. 1 ranked T20 side if they win. They will also aim for a 4-0 whitewash. India will look to avoid a winless tour and salvage some pride.

The match will be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.

FAQs

Q. Who won the fourth T20I between England and India?

A. England won by nine wickets in Bristol.

Q. Who was the top scorer for India in the fourth T20I?

A. Shreyas Iyer scored an unbeaten 80 runs.

Q. Who guided England to victory?

A. Harry Brook and Phil Salt shared an unbeaten 146-run partnership.

Q. When is the final T20I of the series?

A. The final match will be played in Southampton on Saturday.

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The Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers are set to make history by opening the KFC BBL|16 season in Chennai, marking the first time a Big Bash League match will be played outside Australia. The iconic M. A. Chidambaram Stadium will host the season opener, bringing the excitement, colour and world-class cricket of the BBL to one of the world’s most passionate cricket audiences.

The historic fixture is expected to further strengthen sporting ties between Australia and India. The event is supported by the Australian Government and the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR) through a Maitri grant, an initiative designed to deepen Australia-India engagement through education, research and policy collaboration.

Speaking on the occasion, Alistair Dobson, Cricket Australia Executive General Manager – Big Bash Leagues, said, “Today is a huge moment for the Big Bash Leagues and for Australian cricket. Chennai is home to some of the most passionate cricket fans on the planet, and we can’t wait to bring the BBL to the MA Chidambaram Stadium. We’re hugely excited by the opportunity and we expect the match will be the most-watched game in Australian domestic league history for any sport.”

He added, “We appreciate the strong interest shown by all of our clubs in this project. In particular, we want to thank the Melbourne Renegades, Perth Scorchers and their players for getting on board and embracing the opportunity to take a competitive Big Bash match overseas. We’re grateful for the support of the Australian Government and the Centre for Australia-India Relations in helping bring this historic match to life. That the match will form the centrepiece of the G’Day Namaste program demonstrates the power of cricket to bring our two nations together across industry, government and people-to-people links.

Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) President T. J. Srinivasaraj said, “The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) is privileged to partner with Cricket Australia (CA) in this landmark occasion of staging the first-ever Big Bash League match in India. This historic event reflects the spirit of collaboration between our organizations and underscores our shared commitment to delivering cricket at the highest international standards. We are confident that this initiative will provide an exceptional experience for players, officials, fans, broadcasters, and commercial partners. Further, this will strengthen the bonds of relationship and sporting excellence between India and Australia and showcasing Chennai as a proud host city for global cricket.”

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