Top Performances By Tilak Varma in IPL 2023

image-ll0nr4euTilak Varma has an excellent IPL record (iplt20.com)

Young Indian batter, Tilak Varma made his mark on the international scene with a powerful debut in the ongoing T20I series against West Indies.

Wearing the Indian team cap for the first time, Varma stunned with an exhilarating knock of 39 off just 22 balls, including two sixes in his first three deliveries on the international platform. He then followed it up with his maiden fifty in the second T20I.

However, Varma's rise to international prominence can be traced back to his stunning performances during the 2022 and 2023 seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Amidst a plethora of established stars and emerging talents, he distinguished himself as one of the most promising prospects in Indian cricket.

Mumbai Indians' 2022 IPL campaign, marked by a string of defeats, ended with the team anchored at the bottom of the points table However, in this dismal scenario, Varma emerged as a silver lining. He produced a series of eye-catching performances, scoring 397 runs at an average of 36.09 and a strike rate of 131.02, lighting up an otherwise dispiriting season for his team.

The southpaw carried his form into IPL 2023, hammering 343 runs across 11 matches. With an impressive average of 42.88 and a thunderous strike rate of 164.11, he unleashed his power-hitting capabilities. His tally included a half-century and a remarkable 23 sixes, further bolstering his case for selection in the Indian team.

With the dynamic batter making a name for himself in world cricket, this listicle let's you take a look at Tilak Varma’s top performances in the IPL that ultimately paved the way for his India selection.


1. 82* off 46 balls vs Royal Challengers Bangalore in Bengaluru (IPL 2023 – Match 5)

In Mumbai Indians’ opening match of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, Varma delivered a scintillating performance against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium. After RCB put Mumbai in to bat, the hosts quickly asserted their dominance, dismantling the visitors' batting order with their lethal bowling. Amid this chaos, Varma emerged as the lone warrior, constructing his innings with calculated precision.

image-ll0nuotyTilak Varma showed a glimpse of what was to come in the 2023 season (iplt20.com)

Where others faltered, Varma flourished. His breathtaking knock, including nine boundaries and four sixes, kept Mumbai's chances afloat. A six over deep square leg brought up his third IPL half-century off a brisk 32 balls. He continued his assault and ensured Mumbai posted a competitive 177/7 in their 20 overs.

Nonetheless, RCB's stalwarts Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli staged a victorious chase, cruising past the target within 17 overs, leaving Mumbai's spearhead pacers Jofra Archer and Jason Behrendorff with scant rewards. While RCB clinched the match by eight wickets, it was Varma's audacious innings that stole the spotlight.

2. 51* off 43 balls vs Chennai Super Kings in Mumbai (IPL 2022 – Match 33)

During an intensely contested IPL 2022 match against their arch-rivals, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mumbai Indians found themselves in a difficult position at 23/3, thanks to a sublime bowling performance by CSK's pacer Mukesh Choudhary. Choudhary dismissed both Mumbai's skipper Rohit Sharma and fellow opener Ishan Kishan for ducks within his first five deliveries, later adding Dewald Brewis to his tally for an impressive 3 for 19 in three overs. As Mumbai's top-order crumbled, the team desperately needed a saviour.

image-ll0nvl6pTilak Varma stood tall against CSK (iplt20.com)

Against all odds, it was young Varma who answered the call, proving his mettle in the face of adversity. Despite a relentless onslaught from the opposition, Varma managed to hold his ground, scoring a fighting 51* off 43 balls. His invaluable contribution helped Mumbai reach a decent total of 155/7. In response, CSK staged a thrilling chase that resulted in a last-ball victory, thanks to an explosive 28 off 13 balls from veteran MS Dhoni. While Mumbai may have lost the match, the encounter revealed a promising talent in Varma, who displayed an impressive capacity for maintaining stability in the middle order.



3. 61 off 33 balls vs Rajasthan Royals in Mumbai (IPL 2022 – Match 9)

In Match 9 of IPL 2022, Mumbai Indians squared off against Rajasthan Royals. Batting first, the Royals set a colossal total of 193/8, powered by Jos Buttler's sensational century off just 68 balls. For the hosts, Jasprit Bumrah and Tymal Mills shone with the ball, each picking up three wickets. The home team's chase began on a sour note, losing both Rohit Sharma and Anmolpreet Singh early in the innings. However, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma put up a brave front, stitching together an 88-run partnership before the former fell for a well-made 54 off 43 balls.

image-ll0nwe7xTilak Varma celebrates after scoring first IPL fifty (iplt20.com)

The 20-year-old soldiered on, showcasing his excellence with an explosive 61 off just 33 balls. His knock was studded with three boundaries and five massive sixes, before being cleaned up by Ravichandran Ashwin's bowling. Despite Varma's blistering knock, Mumbai fell short of the target by 23 runs, as the rest of the batting lineup failed to rise to the occasion. However, Varma's spirited performance at the beginning of the season showed his burgeoning talent and hinted at a promising future in the tournament.

4. 26* off 10 balls vs Punjab Kings in Mohali (IPL 2023 – Match 46)

In Match 46 of IPL 2023, Mumbai Indians were set a ginormous target of 215, courtesy of a stunning 82 off 42 balls by Punjab's Liam Livingstone. The Mumbai innings, however, had a rocky start, losing skipper Rohit Sharma for a duck. Subsequently, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav launched a spirited counter-attack, both scoring emphatic half-centuries. Yet, their quick dismissals threw Mumbai into a tough spot, with a challenging 37 runs needed off the final 23 deliveries. It was at this crucial juncture that Varma arrived at the crease. 

image-ll0nx563Tilak Varma's quickfire cameo helped Mumbai Indians seal a massive win (iplt20.com)

Unfazed by the mounting pressure, Varma looked prepared to take on the challenge right from the outset. Following a couple of dot balls, the prodigious batter unleashed his onslaught against Arshdeep Singh, smashing a sequence of six, four, and six, swinging the momentum firmly in Mumbai's favour. With Arshdeep returning for the 19th over, Varma hammered the penultimate delivery for another six, clinching a thrilling win for Mumbai. His electrifying 26* off just 10 balls steered Mumbai to their target with seven balls to spare and showed his finishing capabilities.