Tilak Varma delivered a match-winning performance in a tense chase, helping India secure a thrilling two-wicket victory over England in the second T20I at MA Chidambaram Stadium. With this win, India has taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Chasing a modest target of 166, India’s innings turned into a rollercoaster as England’s debutant Brydon Carse wreaked havoc with his fiery pace. Despite setbacks, Tilak’s composed innings, capped off with a glorious cover drive in the final over, ensured India’s triumph in a gripping encounter.
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India’s chase began with early trouble as both openers fell to England’s pace attack. Abhishek Sharma was trapped lbw by a 148-kph delivery from Mark Wood after a brisk start of 12 runs off six balls. Sanju Samson followed suit, falling to Jofra Archer for just five runs, exposing India’s vulnerability to short-pitched deliveries.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Verma briefly steadied the ship with some aggressive strokes. However, Carse struck again, dismissing Suryakumar for 12 as the Indian captain chopped one onto his stumps.
The middle phase turned disastrous for India, with wickets tumbling regularly. Hardik Pandya and Dhruv Jurel departed cheaply, leaving the hosts reeling at 79/5.
Tilak found some support from Washington Sundar, and the duo stitched together a crucial 38-run stand. Sundar injected momentum into the chase with a flurry of boundaries off Mark Wood, but Carse returned to dismiss Sundar for 26 with a brilliant cross-seam delivery.
Axar Patel’s brief cameo ended when he holed out to Ben Duckett off Liam Livingstone, leaving India needing a big effort from Tilak. The turning point came in the 16th over when Tilak capitalized on Archer’s pace, smashing 19 runs to shift the momentum.
The match went down to the wire. After losing Arshdeep Singh to Adil Rashid and with 13 runs needed off the final two overs, Ravi Bishnoi stepped up with two crucial boundaries. Tilak finished the job with a stylish cover drive in the last over, taking India home with two wickets to spare.
Earlier in the match, England’s batting lineup faltered against disciplined Indian bowling. Arshdeep Singh struck early, dismissing Phil Salt for just four runs. Ben Duckett followed soon after, managing only three before falling to Washington Sundar.
Skipper Jos Buttler led the resistance with a counterattacking 45 off 30 balls, featuring two fours and three sixes. However, his dismissal to Axar Patel triggered a collapse, with England reduced to 77/4 in the ninth over.
Liam Livingstone and Harry Brook failed to make significant contributions, leaving England struggling at 90/5. Varun Chakravarthy, making his home debut, dismissed Brook and Jamie Overton, finishing with impressive figures of 2/26.
Brydon Carse provided a late spark, scoring 31 off 17 balls, but a run-out ended his knock. England eventually managed 165/9 in their 20 overs. Axar Patel and Chakravarthy were the standout bowlers for India, picking up two wickets each, while Sundar, Arshdeep, Pandya, and Abhishek Sharma contributed with a wicket apiece.
Suryakumar Yadav Praises Tilak Varma’s Composed Knock in India’s Thrilling Win Over England
India captain Suryakumar Yadav lauded Tilak Varma’s responsible batting that led the hosts to a nail-biting two-wicket victory against England in the second T20I.
“Very happy with the way Tilak batted, good to see someone like him taking responsibility. Ravi Bishnoi has been putting in hard work in the nets, and he wants to contribute with the bat,” said Suryakumar during the post-match presentation.
Suryakumar highlighted the team’s depth and aggressive approach as key factors. “The way the game was going, 160 seemed good, but their bowling was exceptional. Playing with an extra batter has been advantageous, giving us options to see off tight games,” he added.
“The chat was to play like the last game. It’s good to see we are playing an aggressive brand of cricket. The guys put their hands up and stitched small partnerships, which took off a lot of pressure. The atmosphere in the dressing room is light. There will be days when it won’t come off, but we know what we want to do. If we stay on the same page, good things will happen,” Suryakumar concluded.
“If you stay till the end, we win the game”: Tilak Varma on Gautam Gambhir’s crucial advice after match-winning knock
Reflecting on his performance, Tilak credited his approach to the message from his coach, Gautam Gambhir, and the dressing room.
“Gautam sir told me in the last innings that when you need 10 runs in an over, you can do that too. When you need 7-8 runs, your role is very crucial. So, you need to stay till the end. No matter how you play, let the non-striker score. Your job is to get one or two boundaries in an over and take singles. If you stay till the end, we win the game,” Tilak said on Star Sports’ Amul Cricket Live show.
Tilak revealed that the words of encouragement from Gambhir during a drinks break reinforced his focus.
“He told me this in the last match as well. And even today, during the drinks break, he told me, no matter what happens, you need to play till the end. So, I had it in my mind that I would play till the end. And I believed that I would win the match,” he added.
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