Tilak Varma was over the moon after smashing his maiden IPL century, powering Mumbai Indians to a dominant 99-run win over Gujarat Titans on Monday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. His knock also saw him match the joint-fastest IPL hundred by an MI batter, equalling Sanath Jayasuriya’s record set back in 2008.
Tilak did not get off to an ideal start, with MI managing just 46 runs in the powerplay while losing three wickets. Struggling for fluency early on, he reached 19 off his first 22 balls. However, once he settled and read the conditions better, he shifted gears dramatically. What followed was a blistering assault, with Tilak smashing 82 runs off his next 23 deliveries to turn the game decisively in MI’s favour.
“I took it ball by ball in the first 20 deliveries and just focused on getting my eye in. Once I spent some time at the crease and understood the wicket, I backed my abilities and played my natural game,” Tilak said after the match.
‘STAYED CALM, KEPT THINGS SIMPLE’
Tilak eventually remained unbeaten on 101 off 45 balls, striking eight fours and seven sixes to guide Mumbai Indians to 199 for 5. The left-hander said he assessed the situation, stayed composed, and focused on his basics under pressure. He trusted his skills and used his range of shots wisely to shift gears at the right moment and deliver a match-winning performance.
“I assessed what the team needed at that stage. I stayed calm, kept things simple, and stuck to my basics. I do have a range of shots, but in pressure situations, it’s important to trust your skills—and that’s exactly what I did today, which gave me the desired result. I am really proud of myself,” Tilak added.
Tilak Varma also shared crucial partnerships during the innings, adding 52 runs for the fourth wicket with Naman Dhir before stitching together an 81-run stand for the fifth wicket with skipper Hardik Pandya.
In IPL 2026 so far, Tilak has scored 144 runs in six matches at an average of 28.80 and an impressive strike rate of 187.01.
He and Mumbai Indians will look to carry this momentum into their next clash against Chennai Super Kings on Thursday, April 23 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
