Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India batter Tilak Varma has said the team is fully charged for the high-pressure ICC T20 World Cup clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 15, adding that the squad has already entered “match zone” after uncertainty around the fixture finally ended.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Pakistan had earlier threatened to boycott the marquee encounter in Colombo before taking a U-turn, clearing the path for one of cricket’s most anticipated contests. Speaking on the eve of India’s Namibia clash, Tilak admitted the confirmation has only heightened excitement within the camp.
“To be honest, we are very excited to play. We got to know that the match is going to take place the day before. We are ready to play. We are watching all the teams. We are watching the bowlers and the batsmen,” Tilak said.“All the players and team members are ready to play. Now, we are in the match zone. The planning will start,” he added, signalling that India’s preparations for the Colombo showdown are already underway.
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Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had earlier highlighted Pakistan’s potential advantage of being based in Sri Lanka for a longer period, but Tilak stressed that India’s approach remains methodical. “We are going one by one in every match… we have video analysis, technology, and we will see how the wicket is behaving. Everyone has different shots, and we will decide which bowlers to target,” he explained.Despite his naturally attacking style, Tilak said he is ready to adapt his role depending on the match situation. Reflecting on India’s opening win over the USA, where wickets fell in a cluster, he revealed that head coach Gautam Gambhir has encouraged flexibility in the batting order.“Gautam bhai has asked us to play cautiously if wickets fall quickly. Suryakumar bhai and I can anchor the innings if needed,” he noted.Tilak, who recently returned from injury, expressed satisfaction at being back on the world stage. “Happy that I am back in the World Cup side. The only aim is to help the team win the cup,” he said.
