Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on Tilak Varma after the Men in Blue registered a five-wicket win against arch-rivals Pakistan in the Asia Cup final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday.
Chasing a below-par score of 147, India found themselves under the cosh at 20-3 after four overs. However, Tilak Varma was able to steady the ship, first with Sanju Samson and then with Shivam Dube. Varma scored an unbeaten knock of 69 runs off just 53 balls with the help of three fours and four sixes.
The left-hander delivered when it mattered the most and got the job done under immense pressure. Varma added 57 runs with Samson and then added 60 runs with Shivam Dube.
Aakash Chopra said on ESPN Cricinfo, “Tilak Varma, who has already scored two T20I hundreds, has actually played the best T20I knock of his career on this night.”
“Lots of things, actually. Understanding the need of the hour, because 20/3, there was a real threat of things going pear-shaped. To maintain that tempo, knowing where to go, who to go against, because it wasn’t your typical T20 surface where the ball was coming onto the bat nicely.
“The need to build a partnership, he was there, and then, whenever he decided to go hard, just connected it beautifully, picked the right balls, didn’t really manufacture a lot of shots, and just a sheer display of skill. I think that was a notch above the rest.”
Meanwhile, former Indian pacer Varun Aaron said Varma had the rub of the green on his side as Pakistan missed a run-out opportunity.
He said, “Obviously got lucky with that missed run out chance, which Pakistan are going to rue I don’t know for how long because they almost had India’s number. If they had gotten him run out, this would have been a different story. That was really bad keeping.”
Aaron praised Sanju Samson’s knock as the wicket-keeper scored a crucial knock of 24 runs off 21 balls and added 57 runs with Varma to take India out of the hole.
“That was a massive innings. Yes, it wasn’t the strike rate that he generally plays with, but it was a 57-run partnership. In the context of the game, in the context of the wicket, that was a very, very important partnership. That gave Tilak the time and the base to explode at the end.”
India will now take on the West Indies in a two-match Test series.
