Even though it was too late, Miller scored 48 runs in the last three overs to end a disappointing semifinal for South Africa on a high while completing his century. Miller admitted that New Zealand played well but reckoned that logistics in the Champions Trophy could have been handled better.
South African batter David Miller rued the ‘not ideal’ travelling situation for his side before the semifinals after the Proteas fell short in the knockout stage against New Zealand in the ongoing Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE. With the uncertainty over the semifinal opponent, both Australia and South Africa travelled to Dubai on Saturday, March 1 night fully aware that one of them will have to return to Pakistan and unfortunately, it was the Proteas.
Miller, who admitted that New Zealand were the better side on Wednesday on a flat wicket in Lahore, reckoned that the logistics could have been handled a bit better. “It’s only an hour-and-40-minute flight, but the fact that we had to do that [was not ideal],” Miller said after the match.
“It’s early morning, it’s after a game, and we had to fly. Then we got to Dubai at 4pm. And at 7.30 in the morning we had to come back. It doesn’t make it nice. It’s not like we flew five hours, and we had enough time to recover and recuperate. But it was not an ideal situation still,” Miller added.
Collapsing from 161/2 to 200/6 in a span of nine overs while chasing a stiff target of 362 eventually hurt South Africa as their innings went nowhere even after the start from Temba Bavuma and Rassie van der Dussen with both scoring fifties. “There were really good contributions, a couple of fifties up front. We had a really good foundation. Unfortunately, in the middle, we lost a couple of wickets too many. At the end of the day, it’s a team effort.
“Everyone’s trying out there to do their best. It would have been nice to have a rematch against India. But life is not fair sometimes. Anyone has to work really hard to achieve trophies,” Miller further said as South Africa went down against India in the T20 World Cup final last year.
Miller mentioned that he would have preferred a win with no score as an unbeaten century in a loss felt bittersweet. Miller, however, did choose New Zealand over India as his preference whom he will be siding with in the final. “I’ll be honest with you. I think I’ll be supporting New Zealand.”
India, having played all their matches in Dubai, will be taking on New Zealand in the final, who played at all three venues in Pakistan – Karachi, Rawalpindi and Lahore – while making a short trip to Dubai in between to face India last Sunday in the dead rubber Group A match.
