India batsman Tilak Varma put aside the noise about his form and performed when it mattered, playing a rousing cameo in India’s 72-run win over Zimbabwe to keep the T20 World Cup defense alive. Tilak, who was slotted in at No.6 instead of the usual No.3, said he was happy to adapt his role if it served the team’s needs.
Tilak said after the match that flexibility is part of his mindset. India have changed their batting order in a must-win clash with Zimbabwe on Thursday he brought in Sanju Samson and Axar Patel, which moved Tilak down the order. The change worked as the left-hander responded with an unbeaten 44 off just 16 balls to help India amass 256/4 at Chepauk.
IND vs ZIM T20 WORLD CUP 2026: MAIN | SCORECARD
“I always say that whatever the team needs, I’m up for it. So I’ve been doing the same role since the last four years in the IPL for Mumbai Indians and I’ve also played a few matches for the Indian team. So I’m up for it. Whatever the team needs, I’m up there. And depending on the situation I can adapt. But like I said before, I was just waiting for it, I was really grateful, but I was grateful. I’m up for it, now I’m pretty sure that I can win for the team in the future matches,” Tilak said at the post-match press conference.
Prior to this game, Tilak had struggled with his rhythm in the tournament. His previous scores of 25, 25, 25, 31 and 1 reflected fluky starts, with a strike rate below 120. This raised questions about his role and effectiveness, especially on slower pitches.
But against Zimbabwe, the shift down the order brought a new spark. Tilak attacked from the start, hitting three fours and four sixes at the rate of 275. His partnership with Hardik Pandya turned the innings from strong to dominant.
HOW TILAK VARMA RISED BACK FROM A Slump
Tilak’s innings was less about redemption and more about timing. He showed flashes early in the tournament but did not turn them into impressive contributions.
At number 6, he found the freedom to play instinctively. Along with Hardik Pandya, he stitched a stand of 84 runs in just 31 balls that lifted India to one of the highest totals in T20 World Cup history.
The shift also reflected his ability to switch when needed. After a phase where he played cautiously higher, this shot showed he could provide explosiveness when the team needed to step up.
HOW CAN INDIA QUALIFY FOR THE SEMI-FINALS
India’s win over Zimbabwe kept their hopes alive and significantly improved their Net Run Rate after the setback against South Africa.
The equation is now simple. India need to beat the West Indies in their final Super 8 clash to book their place in the semi-finals.
Defeat would end their campaign, while a win would help them take four points from three matches. The upcoming clash effectively becomes a knockout game for India’s title defence.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
27 Feb 2026 09:09 IST
