Tilak Varma starred with an unbeaten 72 as India won the Chennai T20I by 2 wickets to take a 2-0 lead.
India were crumbling at one point, but Tilak made important partnerships with Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi in the end to get the win.
Tilak Varma’s impressive half-century (72 runs off 55 balls), combined with an outstanding bowling performance from the Indian team, led the hosts to a thrilling 2-wicket victory over England in the second T20I at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This win gives India a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series, marking back-to-back victories.
India’s chase of 167 runs started on a shaky note, as the openers fell early to the fiery pace of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer. Suryakumar Yadav made a promising start but failed to capitalize, leaving India under pressure to rebuild their innings.
Despite losing wickets regularly, Tilak Varma held his composure and kept the chase alive. A lapse in judgment from Arshdeep Singh saw him dismissed by Adil Rashid, but Tilak remained steady even with India down to 8 wickets.
Ravi Bishnoi offered crucial support during the tense final moments, helping India secure victory over England in a dramatic finish. Archer’s expensive bowling spell, where he conceded 60 runs in just four overs, ultimately hurt England’s chances.
England batted first after being asked to by captain Suryakumar, setting a target of 166 runs. Similar to their performance in the series opener in Kolkata, England’s top order struggled. However, they managed to score 165 for 9 in their 20 overs, aided by significant contributions from Jos Buttler and Brydon Carse.
Captain Jos Buttler played a key role, scoring 45 runs off 30 balls, including 3 sixes and 2 fours. Brydon Carse also added valuable runs towards the end, smashing 31 off 17 balls with 3 sixes and 1 four.
For India, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy were impressive with the ball. Axar took 2 wickets for 32 runs in 4 overs, while Varun claimed 2 wickets for 38 runs. Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, and Abhishek Sharma each contributed with 1 wicket as well.
For leading in the chase with a 72*(55), Tilak Varma was awarded the Player of the Match.
