IND vs WI: Tilak Varma Enters Record Book After Only His 2nd T20I Match, Shatters Rishabh Pant's Record

Continuing his brilliant start in international cricket, Tilak Varma, on Sunday (August 6), scored his maiden T20I fifty to power India to a fighting total in the second T20I against West Indies in Guyana.

The left-handed batsman has hit the ground running in international cricket. In both the T20I games that he has batted in so far, he walked out to bat when the team was in a precarious position. In the first T20I which was his debut outing in international cricket, India were reeling at 28 for 2 when he walked out to bat.

Tilak Varma made an instant impact by opening his account in international cricket with two sixes in a row. He went on to finish the game as India’s top-scorer, scoring 39 runs although the Men in Blue eventually lost the game. India’s situation was worse in the second T20I when Tilak Varma came out to bat.

Tilak Varma breaks Rishabh Pant’s record:

With Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav failing to do well, India were on 18 for 2 when Tilak Varma joined Ishan Kishan in the middle. He shared crucial partnerships with Ishan Kishan and Hardik Pandya to take the score past the 100-run mark before departing for 51. The Southpaw scored his maiden fifty and finished as India’s highest scorer for the second game in a row.

His 51-run knock came off 41 deliveries and was studded with five fours and a six. And as Tilak Varma has made a good start in international cricket, it has taken him only two games to enter the record books. The highly-rated batsman has broken Rishabh Pant’s record as he became the second youngest Indian player to score a T20I fifty.

The record is currently held by Rohit Sharma who scored a memorable fifty against South Africa during the 2007 T20 World Cup. Tilak Varma also became the second Indian player after Rohit to score a T20I fifty before attaining the age of 21.

Youngest Indian to Score Half-century in T20Is:

Rohit Sharma – 20 years, 143 days

Tilak Varma – 20 year, 271 days

Rishabh Pant – 21 years, 38 days

Meanwhile, India finished their innings on 152 for 7. In reply, West Indies were on 82 for 3 at the end of the ninth over at the time of writing this report.