IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Tilak Varma's heroics guide India to 2-wicket win against England in Chennai, lead series 2-0

Tilak Varma decided against celebrating his half-century, opting to save his excitement for the end of the match. His big moment came when he hit a four off the second ball of the final over, securing a memorable victory for India. Varma's outstanding performance concluded with an unbeaten 72 runs off 55 balls.

Although India started aggressively in the first 10 overs, England's bowlers, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, managed to keep the hosts in check initially. However, Brydon Carse later took control, leading to India losing wickets at critical moments in their chase of 166 runs. 

The partnership between Varma and Suryakumar Yadav, which featured some impressive boundaries, briefly shifted the momentum in India's favor, but Carse's timely wickets kept England in the hunt for a win.

Tilak Varma finishes in style and #TeamIndia register a 2-wicket win in Chennai! 

Scorecard  https://t.co/6RwYIFWg7i #INDvENG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/d9jg3O02IB

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 25, 2025

India's bowlers excelled, with six out of seven taking wickets as England struggled to reach 165/9. The visitors' ongoing difficulties against Indian spinners were once again on display. 

Arshdeep Singh and Washington Sundar made early breakthroughs, followed by Varun Chakravarthy's dismissal of Harry Brook. Despite Brook's earlier claim that smog had impacted his performance in the last T20I, he was unable to decipher Chakravarthy's deliveries in Chennai.

Tilak Varma played a crucial role in leading India to victory in the final over of the match. Even while batting with the lower order, he showed impressive composure and celebrated joyfully after hitting the winning runs. The England bowlers delivered a strong effort in trying to defend a target of 166 runs, making the game a tightly contested one. However, England ultimately fell short by 15 runs of reaching a competitive score.

Also read| IND vs ENG 2nd T20I: Tilak Varma sends 150.3 kmph delivery from Jofra Archer flying into the stands, video goes viral