South Africa’s David Miller, after scoring a century, expressed frustration over the team’s preparation for the Champions Trophy semi-finals. The South African team had to take multiple flights between Pakistan and Dubai, which Miller felt was not conducive for optimal performance.
Following New Zealand’s victory in the semi-final, Miller admitted he would be supporting them in the final. This sentiment arose from shared experiences, as both New Zealand and South Africa endured similar travel hassles during the tournament. Both teams made two trips to Dubai from Pakistan within a week.
New Zealand played their last group match against India in Dubai before returning to Pakistan and then back to Dubai for the semi-final. South Africa also flew to Dubai and back to Lahore due to scheduling uncertainties, experiencing a very short turnaround in Dubai.
Miller highlighted the fatigue caused by these travels, stating that despite the short flight duration, the constant back and forth was disruptive and far from ideal preparation. He acknowledged New Zealand’s deserved victory in the semi-final, despite his own personal milestone of scoring a century in the match.
Reflecting on the game, Miller pointed out that South Africa’s good start was undone by losing too many wickets in the middle overs. He conceded that New Zealand adapted better to the conditions, particularly in spin bowling, and ultimately deserved to win. While expressing disappointment at not having a rematch against India, Miller recognized that New Zealand and India are both strong teams and anticipated a great final.
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