Bridgetown [Barbados], when the South African team takes to the field for their historic ICC T20 World Cup final in Barbados, will hope that good runs come from the willow of their middle-order batsman David Miller, who has been the crisis man for Proteas. over the years during ICC knockout games.
The two unbeaten teams in this edition, India and South Africa, will clash for the T20 World Cup title in Barbados on Saturday. While the Proteas registered an authoritative nine-wicket defeat to end Afghanistan's dream campaign, India defeated England by 68 runs and avenged their defeat in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition.
Although South Africa have a history of suffocating in crucial situations in knockout games, Miller has an excellent record playing for the Proteas in decisive games. During the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final in 2013 against England, he scored an excellent 56 off 51 balls with five fours and two sixes to take the Proteas to 175 from a poor position of 80/8, although England chased down the total easily.
Then came the 2014 World T20 semi-final against India, in which he made a fine cameo of 23* off 12 balls, with two fours and a six to take the Proteas to 172/4 in their 20 overs, which India chased down thanks to Virat Kohli. 72*.
In the semi-finals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Miller gave a huge boost to the Proteas' already high run rate, scoring 49 runs in just 18 balls, with six fours and three sixes at a strike rate of over 272 to take Proteas to 281/5. in 43 overs of a rain-affected game. New Zealand chased down the target of 298 runs in the same period to hand the Proteas yet another heartbreak.
Eight years later, making perhaps the most valuable contribution of his career, Miller scored 101 off 116 balls, with eight fours and five sixes during the 50-over World Cup semi-final against Australia, to take them to 24/4. to 212 runs at 49.4. overs. Australia once again caused Miller anguish, chasing the total in 47.2 overs in a closely contested game with three wickets remaining.
In the ICC tournament knockouts, Miller has scored 229 runs in four games at an average of 76.33, with a century and a fifty each. His best score is 101.
Miller has also featured in numerous Indian Premier League (IPL) knockout matches in his career while playing for Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans, playing knocks of 8 (in the losing cause against Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier one in 2014 ), 38 (in winning against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier two) and 1* (in losing against KKR in the final). Then, for the Gujarat Titans in 2022, he played spirited knocks of 68* and 32* against the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier one and the final, which came in winning situations. During last year's first qualifier against CSK, he scored only four runs in the losing cause.
In 10 knockout games in T20 and 50-over cricket, Miller scored 380 runs in 10 innings at an average of 63.33, with one century and two and a half centuries.
The veteran batsman has experienced defeat and heartbreak after his knockout efforts. Will his hard work pay off this time? Will the 'Saffa who never choked' manage to win a World Championship title? Only time will tell.
Squads:
Team India: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal
South Africa Team: Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Björn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton.
The two unbeaten teams in this edition, India and South Africa, will clash for the T20 World Cup title in Barbados on Saturday. While the Proteas registered an authoritative nine-wicket defeat to end Afghanistan's dream campaign, India defeated England by 68 runs and avenged their defeat in the semi-finals of the 2022 edition.
Although South Africa have a history of suffocating in crucial situations in knockout games, Miller has an excellent record playing for the Proteas in decisive games. During the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final in 2013 against England, he scored an excellent 56 off 51 balls with five fours and two sixes to take the Proteas to 175 from a poor position of 80/8, although England chased down the total easily.
Then came the 2014 World T20 semi-final against India, in which he made a fine cameo of 23* off 12 balls, with two fours and a six to take the Proteas to 172/4 in their 20 overs, which India chased down thanks to Virat Kohli. 72*.
In the semi-finals of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Miller gave a huge boost to the Proteas' already high run rate, scoring 49 runs in just 18 balls, with six fours and three sixes at a strike rate of over 272 to take Proteas to 281/5. in 43 overs of a rain-affected game. New Zealand chased down the target of 298 runs in the same period to hand the Proteas yet another heartbreak.
Eight years later, making perhaps the most valuable contribution of his career, Miller scored 101 off 116 balls, with eight fours and five sixes during the 50-over World Cup semi-final against Australia, to take them to 24/4. to 212 runs at 49.4. overs. Australia once again caused Miller anguish, chasing the total in 47.2 overs in a closely contested game with three wickets remaining.
In the ICC tournament knockouts, Miller has scored 229 runs in four games at an average of 76.33, with a century and a fifty each. His best score is 101.
Miller has also featured in numerous Indian Premier League (IPL) knockout matches in his career while playing for Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Gujarat Titans, playing knocks of 8 (in the losing cause against Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier one in 2014 ), 38 (in winning against Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier two) and 1* (in losing against KKR in the final). Then, for the Gujarat Titans in 2022, he played spirited knocks of 68* and 32* against the Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier one and the final, which came in winning situations. During last year's first qualifier against CSK, he scored only four runs in the losing cause.
In 10 knockout games in T20 and 50-over cricket, Miller scored 380 runs in 10 innings at an average of 63.33, with one century and two and a half centuries.
The veteran batsman has experienced defeat and heartbreak after his knockout efforts. Will his hard work pay off this time? Will the 'Saffa who never choked' manage to win a World Championship title? Only time will tell.
Squads:
Team India: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal
South Africa Team: Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Björn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton.
