IND vs WI: Tilak Varma enters elite club with India’s best catch ratio in T20Is

India vice-captain Tilak Varma may have suffered an unusual run-out in the third T20I against the West Indies, but he also achieved a major personal milestone during the match in Indore on Sunday (Oct 11). The left-handed batter became the fifth Indian fielder to take 50 catches in T20 internationals and joined Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli on the elite list.

Tilak has reached the milestone in just 68 T20I appearances, making his achievement even more impressive, as his ratio of catches per innings stands at 0.757, the best among Indian fielders with at least 50 outfield catches in the format.

At the global level, only the United Arab Emirates’ Muhammad Waseem has a better record. Waseem has taken 76 catches in 99 appearances, with a ratio of 0.767.

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Most catches by Indian fielders in T20Is

• Rohit Sharma - 65
• Hardik Pandya - 64
• Suryakumar Yadav - 58
• Virat Kohli - 54
• Tilak Varma - 50

The milestone came in a match that also saw Tilak involved in an unusual run-out. During the 17th over, Tilak and Axar Patel appeared to believe that West Indies fielder Kamil Pooran had touched the boundary rope while stopping a shot.

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The batters completed a single and exchanged a fist bump, seemingly expecting the umpire to signal a four. However, Pooran had kept the ball inside the boundary and quickly returned it.

Despite Axar reaching safety at the striker’s end, Tilak was run out at the bowler’s end after failing to realise the situation, with the third umpire confirming the dismissal.

Tilak scored 28 off 16 balls, hitting four boundaries. India recovered from the dismissal to post 223 runs, with Abhishek Sharma leading the way with 69 off 30 balls.

Arshdeep Singh picked up three wickets, while Naman Dhir claimed two as the West Indies were restricted to 209/7. India won the match by 14 runs to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.