Best reply to sledging from Pakistan players was to win Asia Cup: Tilak Varma

Hyderabad: Winning the Asia Cup was the "best reply" to an aggressive opposition, middle-order batter Tilak Varma said on Tuesday, revealing that he aced an initial bout of pressure and verbal volleys by Pakistan players en route his match winning half-century in the title clash.

Tilak made an unbeaten 69 to guide India to a five-wicket win over their arch-rivals at Dubai last Sunday.

"There was some pressure and nerves initially. But I have placed my country ahead of everything else and I wanted to win the match for the country. I knew If I succumbed to the pressure at that time I would be letting down myself and 140 crore people of the country," Tilak said after his arrival from Dubai last night. "I believed in the basics that I learned as a young cricketer from my coaches and executed it. The best reply to them was to win the match and that's what we did," he added.

Tilak admitted that the Pakistan players resorted to some intense sledging during the match, but he preferred to maintain silence while the chase of 147 was on.

"We lost three wickets quickly and things were a bit heated up then. I came to bat a bit earlier than normal. But I did not say anything or play a rash shot to let the team and country down," he said.

However, the Hyderabadi revealed that he gave a piece of his mind to Pakistan players once India surmounted the target.

"During the match, I was just focusing on my basics, I was not ready to answer them. Whatever I want to tell them I told them after the match and not when the game was going on.

"There were a lot of things happening in the middle but I can't reveal all of them. Those things happen in India vs Pakistan matches and they are part of the game. But our focus was on winning the match," he said.

India required to score 10 runs off the last over bowled by pacer Haris Rauf, and Tilak said he was able to overcome the pressure by then.

"I was not under pressure (in the last over). I knew that I will win the game. I was just thinking about my country and was focussing on one ball at a time. I backed myself to deliver for the country and I am so proud of it," he added.

Tilak said India won the match because they were able to stitch together partnerships on a not-so-easy pitch to bat on.

"I agree with Surya bhai's statement of 'no rivalry' but this is sports and we knew that they will come prepared for the final.

"We were expecting that and we were prepared when they took the pace off the ball and the pitch was also not easy to bat on. We made some good partnerships and won the match and are proud of that," he noted.