Published 11:05 IST, August 4th 2023
'Next Yuvraj Singh': Netizens go gaga over Tilak Varma after smashing debut for India
West Indies defeated India in their 200th T20I game by 4 runs, giving the Caribbean team a 1-0 series advantage but debutant Tilak Varma was shining against WI
Advertisement
India began their T20 series against the West Indies on Thursday as part of their preparation for the ICC ODI World Cup. Earlier, India defeated the Windies in both the Test and ODI series. However, the visitors' start to the T20 series has not been ideal, as they were defeated by 4 runs in the first encounter at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
3 things you need to know
-
WI won the coin toss and chose to bat first in the IND vs WI 1st T20
-
West Indies scored 149 runs in 20 overs while losing six wickets.
-
In 20 overs, India scored 145 runs while losing 9 wickets.
Advertisement
IND vs WI: India's massive defeat against the Windies but Tilak Varma was a player to watch
The West Indies cricket team secured a 1-0 lead in the T20I series at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba, Trinidad, in the first match of the five-match series. The team batted first, with Brandon King scoring 28 runs. Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell contributed to the team's 149 runs.
India's pursuit suffered early knocks, with Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan losing wickets. Tilak Varma's 39-run blitz off 22 balls gave the team hope, but he fell in the 11th over. Despite the loss of skipper Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson, Axar Patel scored 13 runs before being dismissed. The West Indies held their nerves, winning the match by four runs. In a game when the West Indies stunned India, Tilak made his international debut.
Advertisement
Tilak demonstrated his remarkable fielding abilities during the game at the Brian Lara Stadium by making a spectacular catch to evict Johnson Charles, drawing similarities to the legendary Jonty Rhodes. Fans were in awe at his masterful fielding, and his "Jonty Rhodes" moment went viral on social media.
Tilak's skills went beyond fielding as he demonstrated in his innings engaging batsmanship. He hit a six off Alzarri Joseph to start his innings and went on to score 39 runs off 22 balls with a strike rate of 177, including three sixes and two fours. Nevertheless, despite his valiant efforts, Team India came up short and dropped the first T20I by four runs despite scoring 145-9 in 20 overs.
Advertisement
After seeing Tilak Varma's debut performance, fans are excited to see more of his abilities in the future.
Tilak Verma rose to the occasion in his debut match and played an exciting innings. Although, he was not able to take the men in blue over the line his knock reminded fans of Yuvraj Singh. Here's how they reacted
Advertisement
Even after the loss, Tilak Varma made fans smile with his performance, as ICC ODI World Cup is 2 months away. Some fans believe he could be the next Yuvraj Singh of the Indian Cricket Team.
Advertisement
08:35 IST, August 4th 2023