India batting all-rounder Tilak Varma created history during the first T20I against South Africa at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The left-handed batter becomes the first Indian batter to score 1000 runs in T20Is before turning 25.
Tilak came out to bat at No. 4 for India in the ongoing first T20I against South Africa at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, needed four runs to complete 1000 runs in T20Is, and he achieved the objective during the sixth over of India’s innings. He was batting on three runs when, on the third ball, he scored a boundary off Marco Jansen’s bowling.
Tilak, who made his international debut in August 2023 against the West Indies, is currently 23 years and 31 days old.
Tilak Varma breaks Abhishek's record
Before Tilak, left-handed batter Abhishek Sharma holds the record of being the youngest Indian to score 1000 T20I runs. The southpaw was 25 years old when he scored his 1000th T20I run for India on November 8, 2025, in Kolkata.
However, Tilak's batting remained short as he got out after scoring 26 runs in 32 balls laced with two fours and one maximum. The Mumbai batter got out in the 12th over, giving a catch to Marco Jansen at the boundary.
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South Africa opted to bowl
Earlier, South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bowl first against India. The Men in Blue made four changes to their playing XI, leaving out Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson and Harshit Rana. On the positive side, Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya, who were recovering from injuries, returned to the team. Jasprit Bumrah, who had missed the three-match ODI series against South Africa to manage his workload, was also back in the XI.
India vs South Africa playing XIs
South Africa (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje
India (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma(w), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh