After three wicketless and nightmarish fixtures during T20 World Cup 2021, Varun's Dubai story met its redemption arc as he took a five-wicket haul in only his second ODI to guide India to a fighting win over New Zealand and help them end the league stage with three wins in three games. He won the 'Player of the Match' award for his match-winning performance which ripped through Kiwis' middle order.