NEW DELHI: In a remarkable display of power-hitting, Tilak Varma slammed his maiden T20I century in the third T20I against South Africa in Centurion on Wednesday. The young Indian batter took the South African bowlers to task, playing an aggressive and composed knock that helped the visitors post 219/6.
Tilak went on to create history by becoming the youngest batter to score T20I hundred against the top 10 teams. At 22 years and five days, he went past Pakistan’s Ahmed Shehzad‘s record who scored a ton against Bangladesh in 2014 when he was 22 years and 127 days.
After being promoted to number three, the left-handed batter displayed exceptional temperament and shot-making ability, accumulating his century off just 51 balls. He remained unbeaten on 107 off just 56 balls.
His innings was a masterclass in timing and placement, with boundaries coming frequently, including eight fours and seven sixes, showcasing his versatility across all areas of the ground.
The century was a significant milestone in Varma’s career, cementing his place as one of India’s most promising T20I batters. His maturity in handling high-pressure situations, coupled with his ability to clear the boundaries with ease, set the tone for India’s innings.
Youngest to score T20I centuries for India
- 21y 279d Yashasvi Jaiswal 100 vs Nepal Hangzhou 2023
- 22y 5d Tilak Varma 100* vs SA Centurion 2024
- 23y 146d Shubman Gill 126* vs NZ Ahmedabad 2023
- 23y 156d Suresh Raina 101 vs SA Gros Islet 2010
His knock played a pivotal role in setting a challenging total for South Africa, pushing the team to fight for the win.
Tilak has scored 496 runs in 19 T20Is at an average of 41.33, while in four ODIs, he has accumulated 68 runs.