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India overcame an early collapse in a tense chase of 147, thanks to Tilak Verma’s composed brilliance. After losing key wickets, Tilak’s aggressive yet calm innings, supported by Dube, rescued India and echoed Kohli’s legendary knock against Pakistan.
Tilak Verma Steals the Show in Nerve-Wracking Chase Against Pakistan
New Delhi: India lifted its 9th Asia Cup title after defeating Pakistan by five wickets with two balls to spare in a thrilling final. While Rinku Singh finished off the match in style, it was Tilak Verma who stole the show with a calm yet explosive knock under pressure.
Abhishek Sharma started off in style by hitting a four off Shaheen Afridi. Everyone had hoped that Abhishek would single-handedly finish the match, but his magic waned as he was dismissed on the very first delivery from Faheem Ashraf, caught by Haris Rauf.
India didn’t keep their nerves in check and took the target of 147 a bit too casually, which led to back-to-back wickets—first Abhishek, then Suryakumar. Being the captain, Suryakumar should have shown more responsibility instead of being flamboyant. The departure of Abhishek slowed down India’s innings during the initial overs of the powerplay, with the team losing three key wickets.
India initially played the way Pakistan did at the end. Actions speak louder than words. The last two matches played by India would mean nothing if they lose the final. India appeared overconfident from the beginning, which eventually turned into panic.
Tilak Verma enjoying the moment after winning the final
Pakistan played exceptionally well but crumbled at the end; India, on the other hand, stumbled early on but finished strong. After losing three wickets quickly in the powerplay, Tilak Verma stepped up, smashing boundaries and sixes to counterattack. India was 36 for 3 after 6 overs. Gradually, Tilak and Sanju Samson stabilized the innings and built a strong partnership. India was also lucky, as Sanju was dropped by Hussain Talat when he was on just 12.
Tilak Verma played with the composure of a seasoned player. He continued hitting big shots and kept India's hopes alive. While Sanju struggled initially, Tilak supported him well. Eventually, Sanju found his rhythm, played some big shots, and helped ease the pressure off Tilak. However, he couldn’t stay long and ended up gifting his wicket.
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Tilak, though, continued anchoring the innings with aggressive intent, supported by Shivam Dube. Tilak Verma deserves as much credit for this win as the Indian bowlers. Had he not handled the pressure the way he did, India might have been mourning a loss today.
It was truly the Tilak Verma Show. His performance was reminiscent of Kohli’s iconic innings against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup—a time when all hope seemed lost.
