Tilak Varma's 29-ball 60 powers India to 219/5 vs Zimbabwe in 2nd T20I
Synopsis
Tilak Varma's 29-ball 60 and Ishan Kishan's explosive 81 off 44 balls took India to 219/5 against Zimbabwe in Harare — well beyond the 200-run benchmark the team had set as 'really good'. Varma's ground-hitting philosophy, honed through deliberate work with Gautam Gambhir and VVS Laxman, is paying off at exactly the right time.
Key Takeaways
Tilak Varma scored a 29-ball 60 to anchor India's middle-overs innings in the 2nd T20I against Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club on 25 July .
Ishan Kishan contributed a blazing 81 off 44 balls , helping India post 219/5 .
Varma and Shreyas Iyer had initially targeted 200 as a competitive score on the challenging Harare surface.
Varma credited head coach Gautam Gambhir and stand-in coach VVS Laxman for guiding his focus on ground-hitting and gap-finding.
Varma worked intensively on his hitting during a one-week break after the England series to sharpen his consistency.
India vice-captain Tilak Varma struck a blistering 29-ball 60 and expressed satisfaction after India posted 219/5 against Zimbabwe in the 2nd T20I at the Harare Sports Club on 25 July, calling the total 'pretty good' on what he described as a challenging surface. Varma anchored the middle overs alongside a blazing Ishan Kishan (81 off 44 balls) to propel India to a commanding score.
Varma on the Target Score
Speaking in a mid-innings chat with broadcasters, Varma revealed that the team had initially pegged 200 as a highly competitive benchmark on the Harare pitch. 'Obviously, batting in the middle overs was slightly challenging here. But if you see, I think our score is around 220, if I'm not wrong. So, we feel it's a pretty good score,' he said.
He credited Kishan's explosive innings for pushing the total beyond expectations. 'Shreyas and I were talking that anything around 200 would be a really good score here. But when you think about 200, obviously the score can go to 220, especially the way Ishan batted. It was tremendous to watch,' Varma added.
Philosophy: Ground Shots Over Aerial Risk
Varma shed light on his batting philosophy, emphasising controlled, gap-finding strokeplay over high-risk aerial hitting — particularly valuable in the middle overs. 'In the middle overs especially, you want to hit the gaps down the ground, so you can't take too much risk over the fielders. If you want to score through the ground, then you can become a good finisher. Since childhood, I've always aimed to finish games. So, that's what I'm trying to do,' he said.
On his flexible role in the batting order, Varma maintained that team needs come first. 'Honestly, I love batting in the top order. But I always say that wherever the team needs me, I'm up for it,' he noted.
Credit to Gambhir and Laxman
Varma attributed his improved hitting consistency to technical work done under head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI Centre of Excellence head of cricket VVS Laxman, who is serving as stand-in head coach for the Zimbabwe tour. 'Since the Ireland and England series, I have been talking with our head coach, Gautam sir, and now with Laxman sir as well, about wanting to work through the ground,' he said.
He also highlighted the focused preparation during a one-week break following the England series. 'If you hit through the ground, your consistency improves. I spoke a lot with Gautam sir about finding the gaps. I really worked hard during the one-week break we had after the England series. I'm happy that it came through for me today,' Varma said.
What to Watch in the Second Half
With 219/5 on the board, India will look to their bowlers to defend a total that the batting unit believes is well above par at Harare Sports Club. The performance also underlines Varma's growing stature as a reliable middle-order anchor in India's T20I setup, building on a strong run across recent bilateral series.
Point of View
Coach-backed shift, and the fact that it is delivering in bilateral series sets up a credible case for a higher-profile role. What is worth watching is whether this consistency translates when the opposition attack is stronger than Zimbabwe's. The Gambhir-Laxman coaching axis appears to be shaping a more technically grounded version of Varma, which could prove decisive in knockout cricket.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What score did India post against Zimbabwe in the 2nd T20I in Harare?
India posted 219/5 against Zimbabwe in the 2nd T20I at Harare Sports Club on 25 July. The total was driven by Tilak Varma's 29-ball 60 and Ishan Kishan's 81 off 44 balls.
How did Tilak Varma perform in the 2nd T20I against Zimbabwe?
Tilak Varma scored a 29-ball 60, anchoring India's middle overs alongside Ishan Kishan. He described batting in the middle overs as 'slightly challenging' but was pleased with the team's final total.
What batting philosophy did Tilak Varma explain after the match?
Varma said he prioritises hitting through the ground and finding gaps rather than taking aerial risks over fielders, believing this approach improves consistency and makes a batter a better finisher.
Which coaches did Tilak Varma credit for his improvement?
Varma credited head coach Gautam Gambhir and BCCI Centre of Excellence head of cricket VVS Laxman, the stand-in head coach in Zimbabwe, for guiding his focus on ground-hitting since the Ireland and England series.
What was the initial target score India's batters discussed during the 2nd T20I?
Tilak Varma revealed that he and Shreyas Iyer had discussed that a score around 200 would be 'a really good score' on the Harare surface. Ishan Kishan's explosive batting pushed the total to 219/5.
