[Watch] Tilak Varma blows flying kiss to the dugout after 51-ball century in IND vs SA 2024 3rd T20I

Team India batter Tilak Varma scored his maiden T20I hundred in the third T20I against South Africa at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday, November 13. The left-handed batter blew a flying kiss to the dugout after reaching the milestone.

The incident occurred in the 19th over of the innings bowled by Lutho Sipamla. Off the fourth delivery of the over, the southpaw hit one down the ground that went for a boundary after beating mid-off. Tilak Varma took his helmet off after completing his century and blew a kiss to the dugout as every player stood up to applaud his blazing knock.

The 22-year-old had to walk out on the third ball of the innings after Marco Jansen had cleaned up Sanju Samson for a duck. However, the Hyderabad-born cricketer appeared switched on from the get-go and shared a 107-run partnership with Abhishek Sharma, who hit a half-century off 25 balls. The tourists faced a mini-collapse but still finished with 219/6 in 20 overs, thanks to Varma's 107* off 56 balls.

"I was waiting for this moment for a long time" - Tilak Varma

Tilak Varma. (Image Credits: BCCI Twitter)

Speaking to the host broadcaster after his unbeaten 107-run knock, the youngster said he was proud of his "incredible" knock and felt it was a critical outing for both him and Abhishek Sharma. He stated:

"Really very happy. I was waiting for this moment for a long time. Coming after injury and scoring a hundred, it is incredible. It was challenging at the start - wicket was two-paced. After that, it went well. I tried to hold my shape and was trying to focus on the basics. We (Abhishek and me) both were under pressure and this knock was important for both of us."

The four-match T20I series is currently locked at 1-1.