India won the toss and challenged Pakistan a post a target in the Asia Cup final, and while they started strong, the Men in Blue were able to restrict them at just 147 runs.
An easy chase, most would have hoped, especially keeping Abhishek Sharma’s form in mind, but the top order flopped, and it was India’s young middle-order batsman, Tilak Varma, who stepped up under pressure, and carried the chase through to the finish line.
Naturally, fan interest has piqued in the 22-year old, so here’s all that you need to know about India’s Asia Cup final star – Tilak Varma.
Tilak Varma: Everything you need to know
Tilak Varma was born in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, on November 8, 2002.
According to reports, Varma’s father couldn’t afford private coaching for him during his childhood. However, his first coach, Salam Bayash, stepped in, covering training expenses and providing him with the necessary equipment.
Tilak went on to make his first-class debut for Hyderabad in the 2018–19 season. The following year, he earned a spot in India’s squad for the 2020 Under-19 World Cup held in South Africa. He featured in all six matches during the tournament, contributing 86 runs across three innings as India advanced to the final.
He was also the second-highest run scorer for Hyderabad in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (2021-22 ), following which Mumbai Indians picked him in the 2022 IPL Auctions.
The Asia Cup final Man of the Match had showed spark and promise right from the get-go, and soon emerged as a pivotal figure in the MI lineup, through which he earned his maiden India T20I call-up in 2023.
While he is primarily a batsman, Tilak can also chip in as a right arm off-break bowler if needed.
Tilak Varma: Key Stats
Tilak Varma has represented India in 32 T20Is so far, scoring 962 runs in 30 innings. As for the Asia Cup final, he scored 69 off 53 deliveries.
He has also represented India in ODIs, but only on 4 occasions so far, scoring 68 runs.
In the IPL, he has represented Mumbai Indians in 54 matches as of this writing, scoring 1499 runs.
