Tilak Varma, the star of India’s Asia Cup 2025 final triumph, continues to dominate headlines after his match-winning knock against Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Chasing 147 in the summit clash, India found themselves under pressure at 32/3 before the 22-year-old southpaw steadied the innings. Showing maturity beyond his years, Varma crafted an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls, laced with three boundaries and four towering sixes, guiding India to a memorable five-wicket win.
His composure earned him the Player of the Final award, but it was his sharp words post-match that added an extra sting. Resharing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s viral post on X, Varma followed up with a bold six-word message on Instagram: “Talking is easy, winning takes character.”
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The Prime Minister, soon after Rinku Singh’s winning boundary, had compared India’s Asia Cup triumph to Operation Sindoor, the military offensive targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. “Operation Sindoor on the games field. Outcome is the same – India wins! Congrats to our cricketers,” Modi wrote. Varma amplified the sentiment, captioning his post: “India wins always.”
Tilak Verma’s Instagram story with PM Narendra Modi’s post. 🇮🇳
– Operation Sindoor to Operation Tilak..!!!! pic.twitter.com/0R2mUs57qr
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) September 29, 2025
🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳❤️ pic.twitter.com/6OaaknFvhk
— Tilak Varma (@TilakV9) September 28, 2025
Reflecting on his innings, Varma admitted Pakistan’s bowlers had pushed India into a tight corner. “It was pressure. They were bowling well, mixing up the pace. I just tried to breathe and stay calm,” he revealed during the presentation.
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Addressing criticism of India’s fluid batting order throughout the tournament, Varma backed the strategy. “We have prepared for every position. You should be flexible. I was ready to bat anywhere. I’ve spoken to Gauti sir (Gautam Gambhir) and worked hard on handling slow wickets. This was one of the most special knocks of my life. This is for all the Indians,” he concluded.
With this fearless mindset, Varma has not only cemented his place in India’s T20 setup but also sent a strong message to Pakistan — India’s spirit remains unshaken.
