New Delhi, Sep 29 (NationPress) Former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar showered accolades on Tilak Varma for his outstanding performance against Pakistan in the Asia Cup final. Gavaskar noted that the middle-order batsman made "every ball count for something".

India faced significant setbacks during the powerplay as their top-order batsmen—Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav—were dismissed early, putting the team in a precarious situation. Under immense pressure, Varma stepped up and scored an unbeaten 69 runs, leading India to a remarkable five-wicket victory over their arch-rivals, Pakistan, clinching the Asia Cup for the ninth time at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.

Gavaskar commented to India Today, "Abhishek has had some brilliant innings; honestly, I didn’t watch all the matches, but from India’s perspective, those knocks were among the best in the tournament. He (Varma) made every ball count for something."

He further elaborated, "He was accumulating runs through singles, effectively running between the wickets, which boosts your footwork. The left-right combination forces the opposition captain to rethink the field setup, while bowlers must adjust their line and length, ultimately benefiting both batsmen.”

Varma displayed excellent shot timing and was proactive in running between the wickets to maintain the strike. He remained composed under pressure and expertly anchored the innings.

Gavaskar continued to praise the 22-year-old, stating, "In any match that reaches the final over, it becomes intense. But who wants tight matches? All India wants is a win, and everyone feels relaxed and at ease when they achieve that."

"Full credit to Tilak Varma for his performance. He approached his batting with an eye for singles, and even his lofted shots were well-calculated and precisely executed."

vi/bc