318 runs and not out, Tilak Varma sets new T20 world record

Indian batter Tilak Varma etched his name into the record books with an exceptional unbeaten 72 off 55 balls in the second T20I against England in Chennai. His calm and composed innings, featuring four boundaries, steered India to a thrilling two-wicket win in a tense chase of 166.

Tilak’s knock not only secured India’s victory but also saw him set a new world record for the most consecutive runs scored in T20Is without being dismissed. With 318 runs, Tilak surpassed New Zealand’s Mark Chapman, who held the previous record of 271 runs, according to Wisden.

Since his dismissal for 20 runs against South Africa at Gqeberha on November 10 last year, Tilak has remained unbeaten in T20Is. His streak includes scores of 107*, 120*, 19*, and 72*, totaling 318 runs in four innings.

Tilak’s return to the T20I setup after recovering from injury has been nothing short of remarkable. In six innings since November 2023, he has amassed 371 runs at an astonishing average of 185.5, including two centuries and a fifty.

In his overall T20I career spanning 22 matches, Tilak has scored 707 runs at an average of 58.91 and a strike rate of 156.07, with two centuries and three fifties.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, England posted a competitive 165/9 on the back of skipper Jos Buttler’s 45 off 30 balls. Brydon Carse (31 off 17) and Jamie Smith (22 off 12) provided valuable cameos to push the total.

India’s Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) were the standout bowlers, causing significant trouble for England’s top order.

India’s run-chase started shakily as the team lost wickets in quick succession. Abhishek Sharma (12), Sanju Samson (4), and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (12) fell cheaply, leaving the team in a precarious position at 78/5.

Tilak Varma, however, anchored the innings, building a crucial 38-run partnership with Washington Sundar (26 off 19) to bring India back into contention. Despite Sundar’s dismissal and quick wickets of Axar Patel (2) and Arshdeep Singh (4), Tilak held firm.

In the final overs, Tilak found support from Ravi Bishnoi (9*), and their partnership ensured India crossed the finish line with four balls to spare. Tilak’s composed cover drive in the final over sealed the victory, giving India a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.

Brydon Carse was England’s standout bowler, delivering an impressive spell of 3/29, while Adil Rashid’s economical 1/14 kept the pressure on India. However, their efforts couldn’t stop Tilak’s masterful innings from taking India home.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav praised Tilak’s responsible knock and the team’s overall effort. “Very happy with the way Tilak batted. It’s good to see someone like him taking responsibility. The game went down to the wire, but the team showed a lot of character,” Suryakumar said during the post-match presentation.