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Miller expects flexible role at Cup

Proteas’ swashbuckling batter says that the pressure ‘is a great opportunity for a lot of us to put our hands up’

Mahlatse Mphahlele

Senior Proteas batter David Miller is not feeling added pressure due to the absence of retired batting mainstays AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy. Miller is part of the Proteas top and middle order who must pile up the runs in the forthcoming T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Senior Proteas batter David Miller is not feeling added pressure due to the absence of retired batting mainstays AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Hashim Amla and JP Duminy.

Miller is part of the Proteas top and middle order the others are captain Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, the hugely improved Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Rassie van der Dussen and Heinrich Klaasen that must pile up the runs in the forthcoming T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.

The Proteas get their World Cup campaign going against Australia in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, and Bavuma, De Kock, Van der Dussen and Miller will be desperate for a good start with the bat. “I don’t think there is any extra pressure. When I play for SA I have always felt like there is an expectation,” Miller said.

Speaking as the Proteas prepared to take on Pakistan in their last warm-up match on Wednesday, he said: “There is a certain amount of pressure regardless of whether you are junior or senior. That is always going to be there and it is always about how you embrace it. For me this is a great opportunity for a lot of us to put our hands up in that department.”

Miller said the Proteas played a predominantly set squad in the past few months when they won T20 series against the West Indies, Ireland and Sri Lanka. The players understand their roles. “In terms of our roles, everyone is filling in really nicely. You are always going to miss those kinds of players who are not here any more, but I suppose that’s the way of life.

“It gives new opportunities to other players to take on that role. Hopefully it is for the better, but it’s just a good opportunity for us to do the job.”

Miller has played various roles in the batting order and the team will be flexible on how to use him in the UAE and Oman.

He said that the Indian Premier League showed how important the middle overs are in T20 matches. “It is about extending that middle-overs phase, controlling it.

“We have done really well in the last couple of months in doing that. It really does give you a good platform for the last five overs.

“With regard to my role, I feel if we lose a couple of wickets upfront it is a nice opportunity to bat more overs, but we all have to have an open mindset in terms of flexibility because T20 creates different opportunities and scenarios all the time.

“The thing is just being openminded in the sense that I could go in the ninth or tenth over depending on left and right combinations or the spinner with the short boundary.

“I have taken the role of finishing for a couple of years now, and I feel comfortable in that role. It is not the easiest role to take on, but it is something I have enjoyed doing for the team.

“It is probably going to be pretty much the same in that regard, but a little more flexible this time in that there may be opportunities that I go in a little earlier,” he said.

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2021-10-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-10-21T07:00:00.0000000Z

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