India vice-captain Tilak Varma fell victim to an unusual run-out after scoring 28 from 16 deliveries during the third T20I against the West Indies at Indore’s Holkar Stadium on Sunday.
Despite his dismissal the hosts secured a 14 runs victory over the visitors moving 2-1 ahead in the five match series.
How did Tilak Varma make an impact with his fielding?
Although Tilak Varma could not make a substantial contribution with the bat he made his presence felt with an outstanding display in the field during the third T20I. India’s fielding unit which has come under scrutiny over the past year and squandered important catching opportunities in the Ranchi encounter showed marked improvement while protecting a target of 224 runs.
What fielding milestone did Tilak Varma reach against West Indies?
Tilak Varma reached a significant fielding milestone when he held on to a catch off Arshdeep Singh’s delivery to dismiss Keemo Paul. The Mumbai Indians star brought up his 50th catch in T20I cricket in his 68th appearance in the format becoming only the fifth Indian player to reach the mark.
Which Indian players belong to the elite 50-catch T20I club?
Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli are the other Indian players who have reached the 50-catch mark in T20I cricket. Tilak Varma retained by Mumbai Indians for Rs 8 crore ahead of IPL 2026 under owner Nita Ambani has also been in good touch with the bat recently registering unbeaten scores of 44 and 51 in his previous two T20I innings against the West Indies and Pakistan in the Asian Games 2026 gold medal clash respectively.
What did Tilak Varma say about his recent form and recent tournaments?
‘First of all, thank you for mentioning that about the Asian Games and World Cup. It always feels good whenever I hear about that. And right now, yes, God has been really kind to me. And right now, my form is also going really good,’ Tilak Varma told the broadcasters ahead of the match.
What are Tilak Varma’s overall T20I stats and mindset?
Across 68 T20I appearances, Tilak has accumulated 1,791 runs at an average of 44.77 and a strike rate of 146.92, including two centuries and 10 half-centuries. ‘And definitely, if you see, the way I finished that last match (was) terrific. But at the same point, again, we are focusing on our basics. Let’s see how it goes, and right now my form is good,’ Tilak Varma had said before the 3rd T20I match.
How has Tilak Varma adapted to his new batting role in the middle order?
Speaking about his transition from opening the innings to playing a finishing role in the middle order Tilak Varma admitted that batting at No. 4 is still relatively unfamiliar territory for him. He explained that, as the coach had pointed out the opening slots remain settled while the other batting positions are rotated. However the left hander added that although batting higher up the order was once his biggest strength he has gradually adapted to his new role since the World Cup.
What work did Tilak Varma put into finishing matches?
‘During the World Cup, I was batting at five and six. So from there, I was practising how I could finish the game from there. So mentally and in practice also, I have really worked hard. And yes, at the right moment, I have already said before that God is really kind, and yes, everything is going well,’ he added.