Tilak Varma Powers India to Victory in 2nd T20I After Top-Order fails

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Tilak Varma Powers India to Victory in 2nd T20I After Top-Order fails

Tilak Varma Secures India’s Win. His unbeaten 72 off 55 balls saved India from a tough spot. His effort led to a thrilling win against England in the second T20I in Chennai on Saturday. They won by two wickets. After a top-order collapse, Varma anchored the chase of England’s 165/9. He helped India reach 166/8 in 19.2 overs, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

England’s Innings: Buttler Shines, Indian Spinners Dominate

England’s captain Jos Buttler scored a quick 45 off 30 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes). But, the rest of the English batsmen faltered against India’s disciplined bowling.

  • Key Performances:
    • Buttler’s 4, 6, 4 off Arshdeep Singh showed England’s intent in the Powerplay.
    • Arshdeep Singh, the ICC Men’s T20 Player of the Year, dismissed Phil Salt in the first over. Washington Sundar at square leg caught the ball.
    • Varun Chakravarthy (2/38) outwitted Harry Brook with a clever delivery. It was a back-of-the-hand throw that breached his defense.

Indian spinners Axar Patel (2/32) and Washington Sundar used the slow Chennai pitch. They restricted England’s scoring opportunities. Liam Livingstone and Ben Duckett perished trying ambitious shots. Brydon Carse provided late resistance with a quick 31 off 17 balls, including three sixes. However, a mix-up with Jofra Archer ended his promising knock.

India’s Chase: Tilak Varma’s Brilliance Amid Chaos

India’s chase began on a shaky note, with England pacers Mark Wood and Jofra Archer wreaking havoc.

  • Top-Order Struggles:
    • Abhishek Sharma hit three boundaries off Archer in the first over. But, he fell to a 148 kmph nip-backer from Wood.
    • India slipped to 19/2 after Sanju Samson’s dismissal, and further trouble loomed at 78/5.

Tilak Varma emerged as the savior, displaying remarkable composure under pressure. His unbeaten 72 (55 balls, 4 fours, 5 sixes) had some aggression against England’s bowlers.

Tilak Varma Powers India to Victory in 2nd T20I After Top-Order fails
Take A Bow, Tilak Varma [ Source:@BCCI /X.com ]
  • Key Highlights of Varma’s Knock:
    • Varma punished Archer, hitting four sixes off the speedster. One was a massive shot that brought up his half-century.
    • A stunning, inside-the-line six over fine leg off Brydon Carse showed his control and timing.

Support from Washington Sundar

Washington Sundar, dropped on 10 by Adil Rashid, played a key knock. He hit a six and two fours off Wood to lower the asking rate. However, Sundar fell to Carse while attempting a third-man glide, leaving India at 116/6.

Despite wickets falling around him, Varma remained unfazed. He found support from the tail to steer India home with four balls to spare.

Key Takeaways: India vs. England 2nd T20I

  • Tilak Varma’s 72* was the backbone of India’s chase. It won him the Player of the Match award.
  • England’s Bowling Highlights: Mark Wood and Brydon Carse impressed. But, Jofra Archer had an off day, conceding 60 runs in 4 overs.
  • India’s Bowling Strength: Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy’s spin control was key in limiting England to 165/9.

Looking Ahead: India’s Momentum Builds

India now leads the five-match series 2-0. With momentum on their side, they will aim to secure the series in the third T20I. England must regroup and fix their middle-order issues to stay in the competition.

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