'Unbeaten' Tilak Varma breaks T20I record in India's thrilling win

NEW DELHI: Young 22-year-old batter

Tilak Varma

delivered a record-breaking performance to anchor India's chase in a nail-biting two-wicket victory over England in the second T20 international in Chennai on Saturday.

Varma's unbeaten 72 off 55 balls not only secured India's 2-0 lead in the five-match series but also etched his name into the record books for the most runs scored between two dismissals in T20Is among full-member nations.
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Chasing 166, India faced consistent setbacks as England's Brydon Carse claimed 3-29, reducing the hosts to a precarious 146/8. However, Varma remained unflappable, partnering with No. 10

Ravi Bishnoi

to take India across the line with four balls to spare. The duo needed 20 off 18 balls and later 13 off the final 12, with Bishnoi contributing a crucial unbeaten nine, including two boundaries, while Varma smashed four fours and five sixes.
Varma's remarkable streak began after his dismissal for 20 against South Africa in Gqeberha. Since then, his T20I sequence reads 107*, 120*, 19*, and 72*, totaling 318 runs across four unbeaten innings. This feat surpasses New Zealand's

Mark Chapman

, who scored 271 runs in four consecutive not-out innings in 2023, and places Varma ahead of T20 greats like Aaron Finch (240 runs), Shreyas Iyer (240 runs), and David Warner (239 runs).
Most runs between twodismissals in T20Is (Full-member teams)

The left-hander's consistency is further underscored by his T20I career statistics: 707 runs in 21 innings at a stellar average of 58.91 and a strike rate of 156.07, including two centuries and three fifties.
With three matches left in the series, Varma has an opportunity to extend his record and cement his standing as one of India's most dependable T20 batters.
As India celebrates a thrilling win, Varma's performance stands as a testament to his composure under pressure and his growing stature in international cricket.