Tilak Varma sets world record during knock against England

India’s Tilak Varma during the second T20 match at MAC Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Ragu R

Tilak Varma set a new world record during his unbeaten knock of 72 against England in the second T20I in Chennai. The 22-year-old has scored 318 runs in T20Is without being dismissed and went past New Zealand batter Mark Chapman’s record of 271 runs between dismissals set in 2023.

Tilak was dismissed last during the second T20I against South Africa in Gqeberha, where he was got out for 20.

Since his dismissal for 20 runs against South Africa at Gqeberha on November 10 last year, Tilak has gone on to play knocks of 107*, 120*, 19* and 72*, which translates to 318 runs in four innings.

Since his return from injury in the T20I set-up during November last year, Tilak has made 371 runs in six innings at an average of a massive 185.5, two centuries and a fifty.

This has greatly helped Tilak’s overall T20I statistics. In 22 matches and 21 innings, he has scored 707 runs at a remarkable average of 58.91 and a strike rate of 156.07, with two centuries and three fifties.

India won the toss and elected to bat first. Barring skipper Jos Buttler (45 in 30 balls, with two fours and three sixes), the England top order once again was struggling against spin. A couple of useful cameos from Brydon Carse (31 in 17 balls, with a four and three sixes) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (22 in 12 balls, with a four and two sixes) took England to 165/9 in their 20 overs.

Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) caused England the most trouble.

In the run-chase, India suffered setbacks in the first half, as Abhishek Sharma (12), Sanju Samson (4), skipper Suryakumar Yadav (12), Dhruv Jurel (4) and Hardik Pandya (7) perished one by one. Tilak got assistance from Washington Sundar (26 in 19 balls, with three fours and a six), a 38-run partnership that let India cross the 100-run mark from a poor situation of 78/5. After Sundar and Axar (2) perished in quick succession with 40 runs left, Tilak had partnerships with Arshdeep Singh (4) and Ravi Bishnoi (9*) that helped India secure a win with two wickets and four balls left.

Carse’s brilliant spell of 3/29 and a strong spell of 1/14 by spinner Adil Rashid went in vain as India took a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

(with inputs from ANI)