SA vs AUS semi-finals: David Miller becomes 1st South African to hit hundred in a World Cup knockout match

David Miller did what no other South African batter had done in the history of men’s World Cup when he played the lone warrior’s role.

In their semi-final against Australia in Kolkata on Thursday, October 16. Miller became the first Proteas batter to hit a hundred in a knockout match of an ODI World Cup.

David Miller hit a 115-ball hundred as he showcased all his experience to steer the team out of trouble in the World Cup 2023 semi-finals. South Africa were reduced to 24 for 4 and then 119 for 6 but Miller held his fort against a spirited Australian attack on a tough pitch at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

David Miller went past the previous best score by a South African batter in a World Cup knockout – Faf du Plessis’s 82 in the World Cup 2015 semi-finals.

Miller hit 8 boundaries and 5 sixes before getting out in the 48th over to Pat Cummins when he was trying to launch another one into the stands, the delivery after he got to his hundred.

Miller joined hands with Heinrich Klaasen after South Africa’s top-order crumbled in overcast conditions after Temba Bavuma opted to bat. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood ran through the top-order, picking up 2 wickets each as South Africa managed just 18 runs in the first 10 overs.

HIGHEST SCORES BY SA BATTERS IN WORLD CUP KNOCKOUTS

David Miller – 101 vs Australia in Kolkata in 2023
Faf du Plessis – 82 vs New Zealand in Auckland in 2015 (SF)
Quinton de Kock – 78 vs Sri Lanka in Sydney in 2015 (QF)
Daryl Cullinan – 69 vs West Indies in Karachi in 1996 (QF)
AB de Villiers – 65 vs New Zealand in Auckland in 2015 (SF)
However, Miller counter-attacked with support from Klaasen as the two batters added 95 runs for the 5th wicket before Travis Head produced an unlikely twin strike in the 31st over of the Indian innings, removing Klaasen and all-rounder Marco Jansen with successive deliveries.

Miller kept his composure against the Australian quicks early in the innings before he handled spin with expertise as Head got the ball to turn quite a bit. However, the left-hander tore into leg-spinner Adam Zampa, not allowing Australia’s leading wicket-taker of the World Cup to settle down.

Miller then stitched a 53-run stand with lower-order battler Gerald Coetzee as South Africa got closer to 200-run mark, which looked unlikely at one point when Australia bowlers had their tails up under grey skies.