Tilak Varma won the Player of the Match for his brilliant unbeaten fifty.
Despite a decent start by Abhishek Sharma (27) and Sanju Samson, India found themselves in a problem until Naman Dhir (31) and Tilak Varma came together to rescue India. Then Tilak took charge, with Nitish Reddy (26*) taking India past the finishing line, scoring 48 runs in the last 19 balls.
Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 51 with 6 fours and 1 six as India won by 4 wickets and went 2-0 up in the T20I series. Tilak Varma also won the Player of the Match for his unbeaten knock.
Irfan Pathan praised Tilak's capacity to adjust to various batting positions and perform under pressure, noting that his mindset is what distinguishes him.
"Tilak Varma is an outstanding batter and an incredibly versatile player. He has scored two international centuries batting at No. 3 for India, but now he has come down the order and won matches with his tremendous fast-bowling hitting ability in the final overs. The way Tilak Varma is demonstrating his ability is remarkable. He only started batting in the middle order during the World Cup, and even then, he did not begin the tournament in that role. He started batting in the middle of the World Cup and has been producing outstanding performances," Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Tilak first added 42 runs off 25 balls with Naman Dhir and then added an unbeaten 69-run stand-off with Nitish Reddy. What stood out was how well he coped with the pressure, especially given that he had been dismissed cheaply in the previous match while batting at No. 3.
Irfan Pathan drew attention to the difference between the two innings, noting how Tilak moved past that setback and adjusted to what the chase required.
"Look at this match. India needed to score more than 12 runs per over in the final five overs. Wickets had fallen, the team was under pressure, and the opposition had brought on spin. India managed only seven runs in one over. But when the fast bowlers came on, Tilak batted brilliantly. He hits well in front of him, plays the midwicket region exceptionally well, and has a very good lap shot. Just a day earlier, he had been dismissed early while batting at No. 3. He lost his wicket to a spinner, but he put that failure behind him and produced an unbeaten fifty. That tells you how strong his mindset is," Pathan added.
Pathan stated that Tilak’s willingness to bat at different positions and take on any role on the Indian side makes him a strong option for leadership in coming years. Pathan stated that mental strength is crucial for a leader and commended the young batter's willingness to prioritize the team's needs.
"This is why I keep saying that he is a leader of the future. You have to be mentally strong to lead a team, and Tilak has demonstrated that quality. Tilak is versatile. He can bat higher up the order or come in at No. 5, 6, or 7. He knows his game and is willing to do whatever the team asks of him. No. 3? Yes, sir. No. 5, 6, or 7? Yes, sir. Bat in the middle order? Yes sir. He is ready to do everything. That is a quality of a leader. So well done, Tilak Varma," Pathan further said.
India and New Zealand played the third T20I of the series in Wellington on October 27.
(India Today inputs)