Tilak Varma turned the match on its head to guide India to a stunning two-wicket win over England in a thrilling chase in the second T20I in Chennai on January 25. With this India have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series against England. England, batting first, posted a competitive total of 165/9, with Jos Buttler's 45 and Brydon Carse's 31 contributing to their score. India's chase faced early setbacks, losing wickets regularly and finding themselves at 126/7. However, Tilak Varma (72 off 55) continued his splendid form in T20Is as he displayed remarkable composure and played a crucial role in steering the team to victory with four balls to spare.
Tilak Varma scripts India's victory with incredible knock
The Indian batting lineup struggled throughout the innings, with several key players falling victim to poor shot selection. Abhishek Sharma (12) and Sanju Samson (3) returned to the pavilion inside three overs to leave India reeling at 19/2. Tilak Verma then took the crease to steady India's boat. However, he didn't get any support from the other end as India skipper Suryakumar Yadav too crashed for a lowly score of 12 despite getting off to a good start. Dhruv Jurel (4) and Hardik Pandya (7) too couldn't do much with the bat.
But it was Varma who stood the ground and delivered when it needed the most. Varma displayed remarkable maturity throughout the chase, navigating the challenging English bowling attack with composure. He began his innings with a free-flowing approach, effortlessly cutting and flicking Jofra Archer for sixes. However, as wickets tumbled at the other end, Varma adjusted his approach, slowing down and assessing the situation carefully.
Varma's second flourish came in the 16th over, where he once again dominated Jofra Archer, scoring 19 runs off the over. However, just when it seemed India was on the verge of a comfortable victory, the hosts suffered a setback. Arshdeep Singh, attempting a heroic shot off Adil Rashid in the final ball of the 17th over, was dismissed, leaving India reeling at 8 wickets down.
With the pressure intensifying, Tilak Varma exercised caution in shot selection. He received valuable support from Ravi Bishnoi, who played a crucial role in the final overs. Bishnoi remained unbeaten on 9 runs off 5 balls, including two crucial boundaries, contributing to India's narrow victory.
Jos Buttler's exploits in vain
England's innings got off to a shaky start, losing early wickets. Phil Salt fell in the first over, followed by Ben Duckett, leaving England reeling at 26/2. Jos Buttler (45) and Harry Brook (13) stabilised the innings, but India's bowlers responded effectively, dismissing both key players. Liam Livingstone and Jamie Smith also departed quickly, reducing England to 104/6. A late flourish from Brydon Carse helped England reach a respectable total.
Six Indian bowlers contributed to the wickets, with Axar Patel (2/32) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) being particularly effective. Abhishek Sharma and Washington Sundar each claimed a wicket with economical spells. Hardik Pandya bowled a tight over, conceding only six runs with a wicket. Arshdeep Singh also contributed a wicket to the team's effort.