Tilak Varma emphasized that his focus is always on the nation, dedicating every effort to India’s success.
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Tilak Varma: Channeling Pressure into a Match-Winning Knock
Tilak Varma opened up about the intense pressure of playing in the high-stakes Asia Cup final against Pakistan, revealing how he channels his nerves into focus. The left-handed batter held his composure when India were in trouble during the 147-run chase, taking the onus on himself to play an unbeaten 69-run knock that guided his team to victory.
Tilak Varma contributed 57 off 50 deliveries alongside Sanju Samson’s 24, but the decisive partnership came with Shivam Dube, who scored 33 off 22 balls. Together, they stitched a 60-run stand off 40 balls, firmly turning the game in India’s favour and pulling the match away from Pakistan.
Explaining his mindset, Tilak Varma emphasized that his focus is always on the nation first, relying on the fundamentals and coaching instilled in him since childhood to stay calm and perform.
“Of course, nerves were there, so much was going on in my mind and my body. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it now: the country is always ahead. India is far above all. What I keep in my mind and heart is, whatever I do, I dedicate everything to the country today. That’s all that was running in my mind. What is needed at this moment – if I come under pressure, I’ll let the country down. Not just myself, but all 1.4 billion people; I don’t want to let them down. So, I stay calm, rely on the basics I learned from childhood, and do what I was taught by my coaches. That’s what I used and executed,” Varma told reporters.
“Real reply comes after the match”
Meanwhile, the hero of India’s win revealed that Pakistan players tried to unsettle him with on-field sledging, aiming to break his focus. Varma, however, chose not to disclose the specifics, describing it as part of the game in high-stakes encounters like India versus Pakistan.