IRE vs IND: Tilak Varma out for golden duck in 1st T20I after impressive debut series in West Indies
The rub of the green did not go Tilak Varma’s way as the 20-year-old was out for a golden duck in the first of a 3-match T20I series against Ireland in Dublin on Friday, August 18. The left-hander was caught down the leg in the very first delivery that he faced in a rain-affected T20I match at The Village.
Tilak Varma walked out to bat in the 7th over of India’s chase of 140. As the rain started to come down in Dublin, India batters were looking to stay ahead of the DLS par-score. Yashasvi Jaiswal threw his wicket away while trying to play an aggressive shot against Craig Young. In the very next delivery, Tilak tried to tuck an ordinary delivery from the Ireland pacer to the boundary down the leg side but he was caught behind as the edge did not go past the wicketkeeper.
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Tilak looked disappointed but he had to walk back after his first failure in T20I cricket which has come after a sensational maiden series in the West Indies earlier this month. Sanju Samson, who walked in at No. 4, saved the hat-trick ball before the rain started pour down, causing a delay in play.
In the West Indies, despite India’s loss to the West Indies, Tilak Varma emerged as a beacon of hope for the team, scoring a total of 173 runs in four innings, including a half-century and an unbeaten 49. His performance was so impressive that it earned him the second-highest tally for any Indian batter in their first five appearances in the format.
Tilak Varma’s remarkable performance in the West Indies tour has led to calls from experts for his inclusion in the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup squad in ODIs.
Before his international debut, Varma had already made a name for himself in the Indian Premier League (IPL), playing for the Mumbai Indians. In the 2023 IPL season, he scored an impressive 343 runs in 11 matches, following up on his strong performance in the previous year where he scored 397 runs. His consistent performances in the IPL were instrumental in earning him a spot in the Indian squad for the West Indies tour.
