Tilak Varma entered elite company on Tuesday as he became the 12th Indian batter to complete 1,000 runs in T20 internationals, reaching the milestone during the first T20I against South Africa at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.
The left-hander needed just 4 runs coming into the match and reached the landmark with a boundary off Marco Jansen in the sixth over. Tilak achieved the feat in 33 innings, adding his name to a distinguished list of Indian run-scorers in the format.
Before today, India’s 1,000-plus T20I run scorers included Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Rishabh Pant, Yuvraj Singh and Shreyas Iyer. Tilak now becomes the newest addition, continuing his rapid rise in international cricket with two centuries and four half-centuries already in the format.
India were under early pressure at 17/2 after losing Shubman Gill for 4 and captain Suryakumar Yadav for 12, both dismissed by Lungi Ngidi. Tilak, however, steadied the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma, helping India rebuild after the early setbacks.
Indian batsmen with 1,000 or more runs in T20 internationals
- Virat Kohli – 4,188 runs
- Suryakumar Yadav – 2,754 runs
- KL Rahul – 2,265 runs
- Hardik Pandya – 1,860 runs
- Shikhar Dhawan – 1,759 runs
- MS Dhoni – 1,617 runs
- Suresh Raina – 1,605 runs
- Rishabh Pant – 1,209 runs
- Yuvraj Singh – 1,177 runs
- Shreyas Iyer – 1,104 runs
- Abhishek Sharma – 1,012 runs
- Tilak Varma – now crosses 1,000 runs in IND vs SA 1st T20I
