If coming clutch needs a definition, then it was the century from David Miller against Australia in the World Cup 2023 semi-final. It was really tough pitch to bat on presented in Kolkata for this semi-final game.
On a pitch where the Aussie pace duo of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood blew the South African top-order to 24/4 in 12 overs, on a pitch where part-time spinner Travis Head turned the ball significantly to go through the defenses of Heinrich Klaasen and Jansen, David Miller operates as if he was batting on a different pitch than the rest of the South African batters, finishing with 101 runs in 116 balls in a South African innings which for most of its part, trudged under 4 runs per over.
Nothing can be more exemplified by his stunning takedown of Adam Zampa. The left-handed Protea batsman showed incredible audacity and impressive proactiveness in attacking Zampa, staying true to his nature of attacking the spinners turning the ball into him throughout the tournament and in the past couple of years in white-ball cricket.
David Miller walloped Adam Zampa for four sixes and a four. Klaasen, too, had taken the attack to Zampa and clobbered him for a couple of sixes. It felt that South Africa had assessed that they need to get big hits from Zampa in order to get to a fighting total at least after their poor start. Miller and Klaasen did that.
It was apt that Miller brought up his century with six to Cummins. It was through David Miller’s 101 and Klaasen’s 47 that South Africa managed to reach a total of 212 runs, something the bowlers can fight for.
Fans hailed David Miller for his sensational century against Australia in the semi-final:
Teams:
South Africa (Playing XI): Quinton de Kock(w), Temba Bavuma(c), Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi
Australia (Playing XI): Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Josh Inglis(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
