Tilak Varma, the rising star of Indian cricket, has etched his name in the record books by surpassing the legendary Virat Kohli’s record for the most runs scored by an Indian player in a T20I bilateral series. Varma achieved this remarkable feat during the fourth and final T20I against South Africa in Johannesburg.
Varma’s performance was nothing short of extraordinary. He smashed an unbeaten 120 runs off just 47 balls, including nine fours and 10 sixes, at an astonishing strike rate of 255.32. This blistering knock followed his century in the previous match, making him the top run-scorer of the series.
Varma’s tally of 280 runs in four matches at an average of 140 and a strike rate exceeding 198, with two centuries to his name, is a testament to his exceptional talent. He surpassed Kohli’s previous record of 231 runs in a five-match series against England.
In the match, India won the toss and elected to bat first. After Abhishek Sharma’s quickfire 36 off 18 balls, Varma and Sanju Samson (109* off 56 balls) unleashed a batting masterclass. Their unbeaten 210-run partnership propelled India to a mammoth total of 283/1.
South Africa’s chase was derailed by the scoreboard pressure. Apart from Tristan Stubbs (43 off 29 balls) and David Miller (36 off 27 balls), no other batter made a significant contribution. South Africa was bowled out for 148 runs in 18.2 overs, suffering their largest-ever defeat in T20Is by a margin of 135 runs.
Arshdeep Singh was India’s standout bowler, claiming 3/20. Varun Chakravarty and Axar Patel picked up two wickets each, while Ravi Bishnoi, Ramandeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Tilak Varma’s exceptional performance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award. His record-breaking feat is a testament to his immense talent and the bright future that lies ahead for him in Indian cricket.
