Tilak Varma agonizingly falls short of all-time record but finishes West Indies T20Is on smashing note

Tilak Varma, agonizingly, fell short of an all-time record in the fifth and final T20I against West Indies on Sunday, August 13 at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium Turf Ground in Lauderhill, Florida.

The southpaw finished the five-match series with 173 runs from five matches at an average of 57.66 and a strike-rate of 140.65. Varma is third in the list of batters with most runs scored in a single bilateral T20I series between India and the West Indies.

Back in 2021-22, Nicholas Pooran scored 184 runs at an average of 61.33 and it stays as a record. Among Indians, Virat Kohli is on top, having scored 183 runs in the 2019-20 series at an average of 183 and a strike-rate of 190.62.

Varma is also sixth in the list of Indian batters with most runs in a bilateral T20I series against any opposition. Kohli holds the record, having scored 231 runs from five matches against England back in 2020-21.

On Sunday, Varma came to bat at No.4 after India opted to bat first in the decider. Varma dealt with singles and doubles on his first few balls before he laid into Alzarri Joseph. In the sixth over, the left-handed batter smashed the pacer for 4, 6, 4 and 4.

Thereafter, he lofted Jason Holder for a massive six over the long-off. But in the very next over, Varma had to bite the dust after he gave a return catch to Roston Chase. Varma scored 27 runs off 18 balls with three fours and two sixes, finishing the T20I series on a positive note.