India’s Tilak Varma jumps in air as he celebrates after scoring a century during the third T20I match between South Africa and India at the Centurion Park in Centurion on Wednesday. (AP Photo)
Tilak Varma blitzed his way to a 51-ball century against South Africa in the third T20I at the Centurion on Wednesday. Thanks to Tilak Varma’s fireworks, India got to 219/6 at the end of their 20 overs, setting South Africa a required rate of 11 runs per over.
Tilak Varma got to the three-figure mark — his maiden T20I ton — in the 19th over with a gorgeous boundary. It came at a time when he was promoted to No 3 in the batting line-up by India. By this stage he had already blasted eight fours and six maximums for India.
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Later on, Varma admitted that he was under pressure before the game began.
“After injury coming back and scoring a century was incredible. Playing here was challenging at the start because the wicket was two-paced. I was just focussing on holding my shape. Actually we (Abhishek Sharma and Tilak) both were under pressure at the start. But we told each other that it will be okay if we follow basics,” Tilak Varma said in the mid-innings break.
On the night, Varma became the youngest player to score a T20I century versus the top 10 teams in the format at the .
Opener Abhishek Sharma scored 50 runs off just 25 balls to combine with Tilak Varma after India had lost the wicket of opener Sanju Samson off the second ball of the India innings.
With Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma had a 107-run partnership off just 56 balls. It was that innings that set the stage for India’s explosion. Tilak Varma also had another significant partnership: 58 runs off 35 balls with Rinku Singh.
Earlier, South Africa captain Aiden Markam won the toss — for the third successive time in three games in the series so far — opted that his team will bowl first with the series deadlocked at 1-1.
