• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Tilak Varma shined on his debut for India as his inclusion in the team was the only positive for Hardik Pandya's side in the first T20I against West Indies at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad on Thursday.

The Men in Blue suffered an embarrassing defeat of four runs to the hosts as they go 0-1 down in the five-match series.

The debutant Tilak looked on song with the bat as he smashed a couple of sixes to get off the mark and went on to score 39 runs in just 22 balls to keep his team alive in the run chase of 150.

Chasing the target, India were reeling at one stage with just 28 runs on the board and both openers back in the hutch. In came debutant Tilak Varma who showed the reason why he deserved to be a part of the playing XI.

He didn't take much time to prove his selection correctly and got off the mark with a maximum as he put Alzarri Joseph away over the deep square leg. Coincidentally, the batter at the other end happened to be Suryakumar Yadav, who had also sent the first ball of his international career into the stands off England's Jofra Archer in March 2021.

 

ALSO READ: KL Rahul Fitness Update Ahead Of Asia Cup

 

His innings were set to take the team to victory before he attempted to pull to Shimron Hetmyer standing at the fine leg fence off Romario Shepherd's bowling on the last delivery of the 11th over.

His 22-ball innings included three maximums that added him to the special list alongside Rahul Dravid and Murali Vijay to become the Indian to hit the joint-most number of sixes (3) on T20I debut away from home.

Tilak was very sharp on the field as well and bagged two catches including a stunner while running away from deep mid-wicket to get the better of Johnson Charles.

 

ALSO READ: India Batter Manoj Tiwary Announces Retirement From All Forms Of Cricket


Skipper Pandya lauds Tilak Varma

Hardik Pandya after the game heaped praise on the debutant for his exceptional and confident display of performance in the first T20I against West Indies. Though India lost the match by 4 runs, Tilak's fearless six-hitting approach on debut stole the spotlight.

"Very pleasing to see the way he started his innings. Not a bad way to start your international cricket with a couple of sixes. There's confidence and the fearlessness they have. They are going to do wonders for India," said Hardik at the post-match presentation.

The second T20I will be played at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on August 6, Sunday.