Tilak Varma hit three straight sixes in the 20th over against West Indies, overtaking Virat Kohli and Shivam Dube on India’s final-over sixes list

New Delhi: Three consecutive sixes turned Tilak Varma’s final over into a major personal milestone, even as India suffered a painful defeat against West Indies in Ranchi. The left-hander moved past Virat Kohli and Shivam Dube on the list of Indian batters with the most sixes in the 20th over of T20 internationals. His late assault helped India finish with 249/5 at the JSCA International Stadium Complex on Friday, October 9, 2026. However, Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford powered West Indies to a six-wicket victory despite India’s imposing total.

Three balls, three sixes: Tilak’s final-over blitz

Tilak saved one of his most explosive passages of play for the final over of India’s innings. Facing Shamar Springer, he launched the first three deliveries for sixes and immediately increased the pressure on the West Indies bowler.

Tilak eventually finished unbeaten on 44 off just 18 balls. He struck three fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 244.44. Strike rate measures the number of runs a batter scores per 100 balls, so Tilak’s figure highlights how quickly he added runs.

Springer conceded 64 runs in his four overs and claimed two wickets. His expensive final over gave India a late boost and pushed the total towards the 250-run mark.

How India built a 249/5 total in Ranchi

India posted 249/5 in 20 overs after West Indies captain won the toss and elected to bowl. The total became India’s highest T20I score against West Indies and the highest T20I total at the Ranchi venue.

India also registered its fifth-highest T20I total. The team’s previous major scoring performances included 260/5 against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017.

Roston Chase provided West Indies with some control by taking 3/24 in four overs. Springer picked up two wickets, but India’s middle-order acceleration and Tilak’s late hitting helped the hosts maintain a scoring rate of more than 12 runs per over.

Samson, Kishan and Iyer set the stage

Sanju Samson led India’s charge with 82 off 41 balls, hitting nine fours and four sixes. His aggressive innings gave India a strong platform and kept the scoreboard moving during the middle overs.

Ishan Kishan added 43 off 22 balls, including six fours and two sixes. Shreyas Iyer then delivered a rapid 40 off 18 deliveries, striking three fours and three sixes.

Tilak continued that momentum after Iyer’s dismissal in the final over. Naman Dhir faced one ball and struck a four to finish unbeaten on four. Together, the batters helped India turn a competitive start into a formidable total.

Where Tilak now stands among Indians with the most 20th-over sixes

Tilak now has nine sixes in the 20th over of T20 internationals, putting him level with Dinesh Karthik in fifth place among Indian batters on this list. He has moved past Kohli and Shivam Dube, who have eight sixes each in the same phase of T20I innings.

Hardik Pandya occupies the top position. The available figures establish Tilak’s place in the standings without requiring unverified numbers for the other positions.

The milestone reflects Tilak’s ability to attack when an innings approaches its end. His three sixes against Springer added to his tally and gave him another achievement in a match that ultimately slipped away from India.

Why hitting sixes in the last over is so valuable

The 20th over represents a batter’s final opportunity to add runs before the innings ends. Teams often use their most aggressive approach during this phase because batters have little time left to build an innings.

A six brings six runs from a single delivery, making it one of the fastest ways to increase a total. Three consecutive sixes deliver 18 runs from just three legal balls, creating immediate pressure on the bowler and the fielding team.

These contributions become especially important in close contests. A strong final over can turn a total of 225 into one approaching 250, giving the bowling side a larger target to defend.

Tilak’s 5,000 T20 run milestone

Tilak also crossed 5,000 career runs in T20 cricket during his innings against West Indies. He reached the mark with his 13th run of the innings, adding another landmark to an already productive evening.

His career T20 record stands at 5,031 runs at an average of 41.57 and a strike rate of 145.36. He has scored five centuries and 30 half-centuries, along with 245 sixes across T20 cricket.

LatestLY reported that Tilak became the first player in men’s T20 cricket to cross 5,000 runs while maintaining an average above 40 and a strike rate above 140. In T20 internationals, he has scored 1,763 runs in 67 matches at a strike rate of 146.55, including 90 sixes. He also serves as India’s T20I vice-captain.

A defeat despite the big total

India’s batting effort looked strong enough to create a difficult chase, but West Indies produced an extraordinary response. Hope remained unbeaten on 102 off 45 balls, while Rutherford smashed 84 off 37 deliveries.

The pair helped West Indies reach 252/4 in 18.3 overs, completing a six-wicket victory with nine balls to spare. Their successful pursuit made the 250-run target one of the biggest totals successfully chased in men’s T20 internationals.

India’s 249/5 therefore became a losing total, despite the records and milestones from its batters. The result also showed how quickly a huge score can lose its value when the opposition maintains an aggressive scoring rate.

What this says about India’s death-overs hitting

India’s final-over hitting showed the team’s ability to accelerate under pressure. Tilak’s clean striking, combined with Iyer’s earlier assault, gave India valuable runs during the death overs—the closing phase of a limited-overs innings, when teams usually prioritise quick scoring.

However, strong batting alone could not secure the result. West Indies chased down the target through sustained aggression, leaving India’s bowlers unable to protect the total.

Tilak’s three sixes will remain a standout moment from a match India could not win. His latest milestones underline his growing importance to India’s T20I batting, even as the defeat exposed the challenge of defending enormous totals.