Left-handed batter Tilak Varma dedicated India's Asian Games 2026 men's T20 gold medal to the nation and his parents on Saturday at Korogi Sports Park, Nisshin, saying that holding the tricolour on the podium is an emotion that cannot be compared with winning an ICC title. India retained their gold with a 19-run victory over Pakistan in a high-pressure final, with Varma's unbeaten 51 off 22 balls proving decisive.

Varma on What the Gold Medal Means

'Obviously, very proud that we have added one more gold medal for our country and it's surreal feeling right now,' Varma said at the conclusion of the match. 'Asian Games is something different — winning other tournaments like Champions Trophy or World Cup is completely different. There we'll get a World Cup or something different feeling. But this feeling is holding the flag and getting that gold medal, it's a different feeling which we can't express and I'm lucky that this is the second time of me getting it and I'm really grateful for it.'

Notably, this marks Varma's second Asian Games gold medal, making him one of the few Indian cricketers to achieve the feat twice at the continental multi-sport Games.

How India Stabilised a Wobbling Innings

India lost quick wickets in the final, including that of skipper Shreyas Iyer, before Varma and all-rounder Shivam Dube — who contributed a vital 27 runs — forged a crucial 62-run partnership that steadied the innings and helped the side cross the 200-run mark.

Varma explained the thinking behind that recovery: 'At that moment, I was just thinking what I can do for the team and especially when you see that back-to-back wickets were down — like when Iyer got out, I was just thinking like I just want to rotate for first two overs, because we can't lose one more wicket there, then we can't accelerate later on.'

'I was talking with Dube as well — the same thing that you just play for one-two overs, after that anyways we'll accelerate and we have shots, whenever we wanted we can go for the sixes. But the thing is, we can't lose a wicket for the next two overs — that's what I planned with Dube and at the end of the day, you have seen, we have got enough runs on the board,' he elaborated.

Handling the Pressure of an India-Pakistan Final

Varma acknowledged that playing a final against Pakistan — one of cricket's most charged rivalries — inevitably brings nerves, but said experience helped the team stay composed. 'Obviously, it's a big stage, playing final against Pakistan, there will be nerves. But at the same time, we have enough experience how to handle the pressure. At the same moment, when you play the finals, you should be in the present moment and just thinking about the team,' he said.

This is the second successive time India have claimed the Asian Games men's T20 gold, underlining their dominance at the tournament level beyond the ICC calendar.

A Personal Dedication to Family

On a personal note, Varma made clear where his heart lies. 'Obviously, this medal will be dedicated to the country, for India. But if you see, family is very important for me and they have been always with me, so I really want to dedicate this medal to my family — mom and dad,' he said.

With India's Asian Games campaign concluded, attention will return to the bilateral and ICC schedule — but for Varma, this gold stands in a category of its own.