India registered a comfortable 6-wicket win over Pakistan in Dubai. While Abhishek Sharma stole the show alongside Shubman Gill, there was one man who quietly went about his business and finished with an unbeaten 30 off 19 balls to win the game for India. It was Tilak Varma who handled a mini crisis if one would call it and guided the chase through and hit the winning runs as well to give India the much-needed win.
Tilak Varma’s role clarity is important. Before he batted at 3 and scored masterful tons in South Africa. Now, with the left hand-right hand combination in progress, he is coming in at 4 since Gill gets out earlier than Sharma. But he is playing his role with perfection and doing a job for his team showing his urge to adaptability. While the limelight will be on the openers and even on the captain Suryakumar Yadav, make no mistake about it Tilak’s role in the side is equally important and he showed that in last night’s game against Pakistan.
Tilak Varma’s unbeaten 30 off 19 balls takes India over the line
Tilak Varma came out to bat with the score at 106/2 in the 11th over after the captain Suryakumar Yadav was dismissed for a duck to Haris Rauf. India had lost two quick wickets and the innings needed a consolidation at that stage. Tilak took his time initially while Abhishek was going great guns. Sharma fell and then Sanju Samson walked in and struggled for most parts before being dismissed. Soon, Tilak found his mojo and there was no looking back for him.
He started to find his range and shots and hit some clean shots over the fence for the maximum. Once Samson was dismissed and Hardik came in, Tilak quickly switched gears and got the remaining runs in a hurry. Yes, there was no scoreboard or required rate pressure on him, but he went out there and played his natural game after getting their eye in. He finished things off against Afridi by hitting a six and a boundary to win it for India in 18.5 overs. Pakistan bowled dot balls to create pressure but Tilak was there to handle it and he did it well.
Tilak’s innings turned out to be the turning point of the match as he showed his finishing skills as well, something he is not used to but adept in learning. He will be key for India going forward not only in Asia Cup but also the big World Cup coming our way next year. Tilak being in good form augurs well for India.
Tilak Varma’s Performance Over the Years
Tilak Varma has taken International Cricket like fish to water as he has shone for India in the last 1.5 years. In 29 matches, Tilak has scored 839 runs which includes 2 centuries and 3 fifties with a strike rate of 152.27 and an impressive average of 49.35. His two hundreds came late last year in South Africa and his best is 120 against the Proteas only. In IPL, he does not have a hundred as he has batted lower down the order for Mumbai Indians.
He has played 54 matches and scored 1499 runs with 8 fifties and a strike rate of 144.41 and average of 37.48. In domestic T20, he has scored 1360 runs in 37 matches with 2 hundreds and 10 fifties to his name with a strike rate of 143.76 and a healthy average of 50.37. Tilak boasts a great T20I record and is the Number Two batter in the world in the ICC rankings alongside Abhishek Sharma.
Tilak is a mainstay in this Indian team and his role clarity is defined in this team. He will bat at 3 or 4 in this tournament depending on who gets out as per the philosophy of left-hand right hand combination. Tilak has had his success at Number 3 but he knows that spot is not fixed for him. It is flexible. But his role in the team is to bat well and according to the situation. We all remember his twin hundreds in South Africa where he dazzled and won a lot of hearts.
Another innings we can remember is the innings he played against England in Chennai in a run chase. There, he batted through under tricky conditions and took India past the finishing line chasing 160 odd as he scored an unbeaten 80 odd. That innings showed Tilak’s maturity at the highest level. He may have a middling IPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians due to invariable batting position, but he is a key player for India and one who wants to do well for his side. He could be the glue between the openers and the finishers like Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel to come after him. His role is important as he closes out these tight chases with flying colours.
What Lies Ahead
The Asia Cup 2025 takes a well deserved rest. The action shall resume on Tuesday 23rd September 2025 when Pakistan collide with Sri Lanka in a must-win clash for both sides in Abu Dhabi at 8 PM IST. Which team will come out on top and get the win to keep their hopes alive for the finals? Only time will tell as both teams are evenly matched against each other.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Sahibzada Farhan’s Marvellous 58 Guides Pakistan To 171/5