South African batsman David Miller has voiced his frustration over the Proteas’ whirlwind trip to Dubai ahead of their Champions Trophy semi-final defeat to New Zealand in Lahore, calling the travel schedule “not ideal.”
The Proteas, along with Australia, were required to travel to Dubai from Pakistan before their respective semi-final clashes due to India’s refusal to play any matches in Pakistan for political reasons. While Australia opted to stay in Dubai and ultimately lost to India, South Africa’s trip proved even more futile—they were there for less than 24 hours before flying straight back without playing a game.
“It’s only an hour-and-40-minute flight, but the fact that we had to do that was not ideal,” Miller said after South Africa’s 50-run loss to New Zealand on Wednesday.
“It’s early morning, it’s after a game, and we had to fly. Then we got to Dubai at 4pm. And at 7:30am we had to come back. It doesn’t make it nice,” Miller explained. “It’s not like we flew five hours and had enough time to recover and recuperate, but it was still not an ideal situation.”
A Lost Cause Despite Miller’s Heroics
Miller delivered a sensational 67-ball 100*, but his effort was in vain as South Africa fell short in pursuit of New Zealand’s imposing 362-6. Centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson had propelled the Black Caps to the highest-ever Champions Trophy total.
The Proteas put up a fight with Temba Bavuma (56) and Rassie van der Dussen (69) steadying the innings in a 105-run stand for the second wicket. However, New Zealand’s spinners, led by Mitchell Santner (3-43), tightened the screws as South Africa could only manage 312-9 in their 50 overs.
“It’s not easy chasing 360, even if it’s a good wicket,” Miller said. “I think the wicket just deteriorated as the game went on, and they spun the ball a lot more than us. They got a little bit more purchase out of the wicket.”
A Frustrating Campaign for the Proteas
South Africa’s campaign had promised much, but ultimately ended in familiar heartbreak. After a strong showing in the group stage, including a win over England in Karachi, the Proteas were forced into a frantic travel schedule that saw them fly out to Dubai on Sunday evening, only to return barely 12 hours after landing. The scheduling quirk—caused by India playing all their matches in Dubai—left the Proteas at a disadvantage ahead of their semi-final showdown.
“It would have been nice to have a rematch against India,” Miller admitted. “But life is not fair sometimes. Anyone has to work really hard to achieve trophies.”
Miller Throws His Support Behind New Zealand
Despite the disappointment, Miller remains optimistic about the quality of cricket in the tournament’s final, where New Zealand will take on India in Dubai.
“I’ll be honest with you, I think I’ll be supporting New Zealand,” Miller said, reflecting on the mutual struggles both teams endured with the scheduling fiasco.
While Miller acknowledged India’s dominance in world cricket, he expects a fiercely contested final. “They’ve been playing some good cricket for a number of years now, and they’ve got some seriously good players. It’s going to be a great game.”
Lessons for the Future
The Proteas’ exit once again raises questions about their ability to handle high-pressure knockout matches. While scheduling complications were out of their control, South Africa will need to find ways to overcome such obstacles in future tournaments. With another ICC event on the horizon, Miller and his teammates will have to regroup and refocus—this time, without a detour to Dubai.
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