Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif has heaped praise on Tilak Varma for playing pivotal knocks in the last two games of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026. In the must-win game against Zimbabwe, Varma added the finishing touches, scoring a fine cameo of 16-ball 44.
Thus, he helped India in posting an above-par score of 256 runs on the board. Subsequently, Varma scored 27 runs off just 15 balls against the West Indies in the virtual quarterfinal clash and played a key role in the successful run chase of 196.
Varma has batted at number five and six in the last two games but he has delivered in a new role for the team.
Mohammad Kaif said on his YouTube Channel, “Right now, Tilak Varma has been sent down the order, but he is still showing his skill. In his last two innings at number five or six, he has made a strong contribution. He does not look like a typical power hitter, but he is still managing to do that job, which is a very positive sign. From an Indian fans’ perspective, this is good news. The fact that he can come in at number six or seven and hit shots, like he did with that cameo in the last match, adds a lot of value. That innings was very important.”
Meanwhile, Shivam Dube conceded 46 runs in the two overs he bowled against Zimbabwe and Kaif reckons SKY was spot on as a leader when he didn’t give the ball to the medium pacer against the West Indies.
“Not giving him the ball to bowl was good captaincy. You had been treating him as the sixth bowler and had used him in every match. But at the crucial moment, you did not make him bowl. So what did that show? It showed that there is still a lot of work left in his bowling. He is not ready yet. He is not a finished product. He has not yet become that proper all-rounder like Hardik Pandya.
“I would actually praise Surya for that decision. If he had given him an over, the West Indian batters could have hit four boundaries in that single over. They are powerful hitters and would have enjoyed facing him. Surya understood this situation well. In my opinion, you do not necessarily need a sixth bowler. Of course, these days it has become a trend to have a sixth or even a seventh bowling option, but it is not always essential,” Kaif concluded.
India will take on England in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Thursday.
