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Frustrated David Miller Lashes Out At ICC; Backs New Zealand To Win Champions Trophy Final

Rajgeeta

David Miller criticizes semi-final scheduling [Source: AP]David Miller criticizes semi-final scheduling [Source: AP]

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South African cricketer David Miller played a heroic innings in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final but couldn’t carry his team to victory. Despite scoring a brilliant century, South Africa fell short, losing to New Zealand and exiting the tournament.

Miller expressed his frustration with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the tight travel schedule for the tournament. South Africa had to take a quick trip to Dubai before their semi-final in Lahore, which affected their preparation. After scoring 100* runs in South Africa’s 50-run defeat while chasing 363, Miller didn’t hold back in criticizing the tournament’s planning.

David Miller Shares Hug With Kane Williamson

After New Zealand sealed their spot in the final, Miller and Kiwi captain Kane Williamson shared a warm moment on the field. While Williamson had just finished addressing the media, Miller was about to start. Despite the disappointment of another missed opportunity, Miller showed his sportsmanship by backing New Zealand to win the final against India.

New Zealand and South Africa both had tough travel schedules, frequently moving between Pakistan and the UAE. New Zealand played their last group-stage match against India in Dubai on Saturday, then returned to Lahore early Monday for the semi-final. Meanwhile, South Africa flew to Dubai from Karachi on Sunday, expecting to play their semi-final there, only to return to Lahore within 12 hours.

Speaking about the scheduling, Miller was candid in his criticism:

"I’ll be honest with you. I think I’ll be supporting New Zealand. It’s only an hour-and-40-minute flight, but we had to do that after a game. We landed at 4 p.m., then had to fly back at 7:30 the next morning. It wasn’t ideal. It’s not like we had five hours to recover,” Miller told ESPNcricinfo.

Despite his frustration, Miller admitted that New Zealand played better on the day. His century, which he dedicated to the birth of his son, was a personal milestone, but he would have gladly traded it for a South African win. New Zealand, after winning the toss and taking advantage of good conditions, set a massive target of 363 runs.

New Zealand will face India in the Champions Trophy 2025 final at the Dubai International Stadium on March 9.