NEW DELHI: Middle-order batter Tilak Varma described India's Asia Cup triumph as the "best reply" to a hostile opposition, revealing how he handled early pressure and verbal exchanges from Pakistan players on his way to a match-winning innings.

Tilak remained unbeaten on 69, steering India to a thrilling five-wicket victory over their arch-rivals in Dubai last Sunday.

"There was some pressure and nerves initially. But I have placed my country ahead of everything else and I wanted to win the match for the country. I knew If I succumbed to the pressure at that time I would be letting down myself and 140 crore people of the country," Tilak said after his arrival from Dubai last night.

"I believed in the basics that I learned as a young cricketer from my coaches and executed it. The best reply to them was to win the match and that's what we did," he added.

Tilak admitted that Pakistan players engaged in intense sledging during the match, but he chose to stay silent while chasing the target of 147.

"We lost three wickets quickly and things were a bit heated up then. I came to bat a bit earlier than normal. But I did not say anything or play a rash shot to let the team and country down," he said.

However, the Hyderabadi revealed that he let Pakistan players have it once India crossed the target.

"During the match, I was just focusing on my basics, I was not ready to answer them. Whatever I want to tell them I told them after the match and not when the game was going on.

"There were a lot of things happening in the middle but I can't reveal all of them. Those things happen in India vs Pakistan matches and they are part of the game. But our focus was on winning the match," he said.

With 10 runs needed off the final over bowled by pacer Haris Rauf, Tilak said he had by then managed to rise above the pressure.

"I was not under pressure (in the last over). I knew that I will win the game. I was just thinking about my country and was focussing on one ball at a time. I backed myself to deliver for the country and I am so proud of it," he added.

Tilak said India won the match because they were able to stitch together partnerships on a not-so-easy pitch to bat on.

"I agree with Surya bhai's statement of 'no rivalry' but this is sports and we knew that they will come prepared for the final.

"We were expecting that and we were prepared when they took the pace off the ball and the pitch was also not easy to bat on. We made some good partnerships and won the match and are proud of that," he noted.