Tilak Varma Smashes 51-Ball Century Under Pressure Against South Africa

Tilak Varma lit up the third T20I against South Africa at Centurion on Wednesday with a breathtaking century off just 51 balls. His power-packed knock helped India post a strong total of 219/6, setting South Africa a challenging target with a required run rate above 11 per over.

Batting at No. 3, Varma reached his maiden T20I hundred in the 19th over with a perfectly timed boundary. He smashed eight fours and six sixes, showing calm under pressure, especially as he was returning to the lineup after an injury. Speaking during the mid-innings break, he admitted feeling the heat going into the game.

“Coming back from injury and scoring a hundred was an amazing feeling. The pitch was tricky because it was a bit two-paced, so I focused on keeping my shape,” Varma shared. “Both Abhishek Sharma and I felt the pressure at first, but we reminded each other to stick to the basics and stay positive.”

Varma’s innings was well-supported by opener Abhishek Sharma, who scored a blistering 50 off 25 balls. After India lost Sanju Samson to the second ball of the match, Abhishek and Tilak built a 107-run partnership in just 56 balls, putting India back in control. Varma then combined with Rinku Singh for another key stand, adding 58 runs off 35 balls.

On top of everything, Varma set a new record, becoming the youngest player to score a T20I century against the world’s top 10 teams. His outstanding innings boosted India’s chances in the series, which is tied 1-1. South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, won the toss for the third game in a row and chose to bowl, a decision that allowed Varma the opportunity to shine and lead India to a big score.