South Africa vs Australia Semi-Final, World Cup 2023: South Africa's David Miller created history despite his team's disappointing performance with the bat against Australia in the second semi-final of the ODI World Cup 2023 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Thursday.
Miller became the first-ever South African batter to smash a century in a World Cup knockout match as he helped his team reach a respectable total of 212 runs before they were bowled out in the last over.
He put up a lone fight and scored 101 runs in 116 balls with the help of eight fours and five sixes before he was dismissed by Pat Cummins in the 48th over.
Miller surpassed Faf Du Plessis's 82-run knock which he played in the 2015 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand.
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)
Talking about the match, South Africa opted to bat first and had a horrible start to their innings as they were struggling for 24/4 after Quinton de Kock (3), skipper Temba Bavuma (0), Rassie van der Dussen (6) and Aiden Markram (10) departed cheaply.
Miller was then joined by Heinrich Klaasen in the middle as the duo bailed the team out of trouble with a 95-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
After Klaasen's dismissal for 47 runs in the 31st over, the Proteas had yet another promising stand with Miller and Gerald Coetzee adding 53 runs for the sixth wicket.
Coetzee was dismissed by Cummins for 19 runs in the 44th over.
While Miller kept adding runs to the scoreboard, wickets were tumbling at the other end.
Miller also became the second-highest sixes hitter for South Africa in ODIs as he surpassed Jacques Kallis to rise up in the list. AB de Villiers still remains at the top with 200 sixes.
Miller's innings was only third hundred for South Africa in the ICC ODI tournament knockouts as he joined Herschelle Gibbs and Kallis in the elite list.
Hundreds for SA in ICC ODI tournament knockouts
116* - Herschelle Gibbs vs IND, Colombo RPS, CT 2002 SF
113* - Jacques Kallis vs SL, Dhaka, CT 1998 SF
101 - David Miller vs AUS, Kolkata, CWC 2023 SF