The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai erupted as Tilak Varma marked his injury layoff exit with a bang in India’s 30-run warm-up win over South Africa. The all-rounder’s premature return has injected fresh energy into the T20 World Cup-bound squad, with Varma showering praise on BCCI and the Center of Excellence.
‘It was beyond my expectations to return this fast,’ Varma shared post-match. ‘Hearing the fans chant my name in a full house for a warm-up match was surreal. My confidence soared, and the World Cup dream felt closer than ever.’
India’s innings was a batting masterclass. Choosing to bat, Ishan Kishan tore apart the attack for 53 off 20 balls alongside Abhishek Sharma, reaching 80/1 early. Retiring to rotate the lineup, they handed the baton to Varma, who scored a quickfire 45 off 19 with Suryakumar Yadav (66-run partnership). Late surges from Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, and Hardik Pandya’s explosive 30 off 10 powered India to 240/5.
Defending the total, Arshdeep Singh struck first, removing George Linde without scoring. South Africa’s middle order fought back via Markram-Rickelton’s 65-run alliance, but retirements and wickets derailed them. Brevis, Rickelton, and Miller departed in quick succession, leaving Jason Smith, Tristan Stubbs, and Marco Jansen to battle futilely, falling 30 runs short.
Varma highlighted the infectious aggression from Ishan, Abhishek, and others, fostering a positive team spirit. ‘We’re all set for the World Cup – the environment is perfect.’ With the USA match looming on Saturday, Varma’s story underscores India’s preparedness and fan frenzy.