Dubai: Pakistan players had "a lot to say" to Tilak Varma when he walked to the crease during the Asia Cup final which fired up the Indian batter to play one of the most defining innings of his career thus far.
Having lost early wickets, India were in a precarious situation when Tilak came out to bat. Considering the hostilities between the two teams, there was plenty said to Tilak as well but he kept his composure to produce a batting masterclass in a high-pressure scenario.
"I wanted my bat to do the talking. They were saying a lot of things I just wanted to respond with my bat. Now they are not visible on the ground," said Tilak in a chat with teammate Shivam Dube
on BCCI.TV.
The 60-run stand between Dube and Tilak helped India win the Asia Cup with two balls to spare. Tilak remained unbeaten on 69 off 53 balls.
"I think my bat did the talking as well, they did not have much to say to me," said Dube in a light-hearted conversation.
Tilak added that the atmosphere in the stadium fuelled him to excel in a high stakes contest. "The chants of Vande Matram in the stands gave me goosebumps," added Tilak.
'Surya disrespected cricket'
Salman Ali Agha feels that Indian team's 'No Handshake' policy while playing Pakistan in the Asia Cup was "disrespectful" to the game and not the best example of sportsmanship for the young fans who look up to cricketers as role models.
"What India have done this tournament is very disappointing. They are not disrespecting us by not shaking hands, they are disrespecting cricket. Good teams don't do what they did," the Pakistan skipper said.
Salman claimed that Suryakumar has been a different person in public when it came to exchanging courtesy compared to how he behaved in private. "He shook hands with me in private at the start of the tournament, both at the pre-tournament press conference, and when we met in the referee's meeting. But when they're out in the world in front of the cameras, they don't
shake our hands. I'm sure he's following the instructions he's been given, but if it was up to him, he'd shake hands."