Pakistan players had “a lot to say” to Tilak Varma when he walked out to bat in the Asia Cup final, and the chatter only fuelled him.
With India wobbling after early wickets, Tilak held his nerve to craft a decisive 69 off 53 balls at the Dubai International Stadium on September 28.
“I wanted my bat to do the talking. They were saying a lot of things, and I just wanted to respond with my bat. Now they are not visible on the ground,” said Tilak in a chat with teammate Shivam Dube on BCCI.TV.
The 60-run stand between Dube and Tilak helped India win the Asia Cup with two balls to spare. Tilak remained unbeaten.
“I think my bat did the talking as well; they did not have much to say to me,” said Dube in a light-hearted conversation.
Besides the crucial 33 in the middle-order, Dube was handed a stiff challenge of bowling the first over of the game in the absence of injured Hardik Pandya.
“There is a lot of hard work behind (my bowling) and the prayers of Indian team supporters. A lot of support and confidence have been given by the management. It was a crucial game, I got a big opportunity,” Dube added.
Published on Sep 29, 2025
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