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'Emotional krke odi me bhi ayega' - Fans react as Tilak Varma dedicates his half-century celebration in 2nd T20I to Rohit Sharma’s daughter

Tilak Varma dedicated his maiden international half-century in the second T20I against West Indies to Rohit Sharma's daughter.

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Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma (Source: Twitter)

West Indies outplayed the Men in Blue in the first two T20Is to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. India entered the series with high expectations following comprehensive victories in the Test and ODI series. However, a below-par batting effort and failure of bowlers to hold their nerve in the dying overs have made the upcoming game crucial for India if they want to stay alive in the series.

India lost the first match by four runs and the second match on Sunday by two wickets. Tilak Varma, who made his international debut in the ongoing series, was probably the only player who impressed and remained consistent in both games. Chasing a target of 150 in the series opener, the rest of the batters failed to find any resistance, but the 21-year-old stepped up and scored 39 off 22 balls, taking India closer to the finish line.

The story of India's batting was not much different in the second T20I, with the exception of Varma, Ishan Kishan, and Hardik Pandya, none of the batters putting up a fight. While Kishan and Pandya contributed in small roles, it was the Mumbai Indians middle-order batter's half-century (51 off 41 balls) that took India to a competitive total of 152.

Meanwhile, Verma had a unique celebration after completing his maiden international fifty off the last ball of the 15th over. At the post-match presentation, the southpaw revealed that the touching gesture was for Rohit Sharma's daughter, Samaira. The Hyderabad-born cricketer had promised her that he would do that celebration whenever he scores his maiden century or fifty.

"It was towards Sammy (Samaira), Rohit bhai’s daughter. I am very close to Sammy. I had promised her that whenever I will score a century or a fifty, I will do a celebration for her," Varma said after the match.

Watch the video below: 

He has been a support system: Tilak on Rohit Sharma 

Tilak was selected in the national squad based on his impressive performances for MI in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in the last two seasons. He was one of the top batters for the Mumbai-based franchise, scoring over 300 runs in the 2022 and 2023 IPL. The young lad has now grabbed the opportunity with both hands and proved that India's No. 4 spot is safe in his hands. Speaking after the game, Tilak credited his MI captain for guiding and inspiring him.

“He (Rohit Sharma) has been a support system and always told me to enjoy the game. He always guides me on how to play. My inspiration from childhood is (Suresh) Raina bhai and Rohit bhai. I spend the most time with Rohit bhai. In the first IPL, he said ‘Tilak is an all-format player’ and it boosted my confidence," he said after playing a stunning knock in the second match.

Here's how fans reacted to Tilak Varma dedicating his half-century celebration to Rohit Sharma's daughter: 

 

 

rohit sharma India Mumbai Indians Tilak Varma WEST INDIES West Indies vs India India vs West Indies