The time is now to declare David Miller a true great of T20I cricket

Proteas veteran David Miller produced what will surely go down as one of the greatest T20 World Cup innings ever, when he clubbed a superb 63 from 35 balls against India on Sunday. What made Miller’s innings so incredible was the match situation.

Miller arrived at the crease with the Proteas in all sorts of trouble at 20 for three with four overs gone. Playing against the World Champions and the number one side in the world on their home ground was always going to be a tough assignment, but Miller was unphased as he launched a fightback that wrestled back control of the game and ultimately saw his side to a famous 76-run win.

Miller is an outstanding player, but at almost 37-years-old, his career is rapidly coming towards an end. He may well look to stay on until after next years’ ODI World Cup which South Africa is hosting, but before that happens, let’s take some time to appreciate the man who is quite possibly the best batsman to ever play T20 cricket for South Africa.

Usually, any suggestion that Miller is the greatest Protea T20 batsman of all time is flat batted out of town with the claim that the mantle belongs to AB de Villiers. But that simply isn’t true. When looking at T20 batting metrics that matter the most important ones are average and strike rate. In both categories Miller comfortably trumps De Villiers. Where Miller averages 34.62 per innings De Villiers comes in at 26.12.

Also read: 8 of the strangest cricket injuries

Miller is all thriller, no filler

In terms of strike rate Miller bats at 142.07 while De Villiers went at 135.16. Miller beats De Villiers in all categories – he has played more T20s for South Africa, scored more runs, been not out on more occasions and boasts a better high score (106* versus 79*). It looks like any suggestion that AB trumps Miller is off the table.

So, who else could claim the title of South Africa’s greatest T20 batsman of all time? In terms of averages there are only four players who sit ahead of Miller on the list – JP Duminy is top of the pile, followed by Faf du Plessis, Jacques Kallis and Rilee Rossouw. Of those four Kallis and Rossouw both played less than 30 T20s for the Proteas and probably don’t boast the body of work to be considered for the title.

That leaves Faf and JP to vie for the position. Their averages are both better than Millers, but conversely Miller’s strike rate trumps theirs – Duminy hits at a rate of 126.24 and Du Plessis at a rate of 134.24. In fairness to Duminy he played at a different time, when strike rates were slightly lower.

What next for the great?

Right now, it is tough to separate the three contenders for the crown. The final metric, when determining ‘greatness’ is what players have won. We are not talking win percentages here; we are talking silverware. As it stands no Protea player has ever won a World Cup. Miller was part of the Proteas side that made it to the final in the West Indies in 2024 which was a significant achievement. But the absence of a trophy remains a black mark for all the players who can be considered South Africa’s best T20 batsman.

If, and it remains a big if at this stage, the Proteas go on to win the current World Cup then it would be hard to deny assertions that David Miller is indeed the greatest Protea T20 batsman of all time. Whatever happens, take a moment to appreciate Miller – he is an understated genius, brimming with big match temperament. If anyone can bat South Africa to the promised land of World Cup glory, David Miller is the man.

Read next: Why the T20 World Cup is Harry Brook’s golden chance to salvage his reputation

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Should England drop Jos Buttler after dismal T20 World Cup showing?

There is a worrying Jos Buttler trend that any England fan will not want to be reminded of this World Cup.

In all but one of his innings so far this tournament, he has scored fewer runs than he did in his previous.

The once star of England’s white ball game has found himself in a rut and a score of two last time out in Pakistan poses the real question of is it time for England to drop Buttler?

The arguments to do so are clear. Buttler started the tournament with an okay if not fantastic 26 against Nepal but that slipped to 21 against the tournament’s surprise package West Indies.

Against Scotland, Buttler managed just three, the same score he managed in the next game against Italy.

He started the Super Eight phase with seven against Sri Lanka but lasted just three balls in a chase of Pakistan’s 164.

To make matters worse, Buttler is occupying one of the two opening spots and crucially at the crease for the six-over powerplay. There is a more than strong argument to suggest that if not dropped entirely, Buttler should drop down the order to allow other batters who are in better nick to enjoy the best time to score runs.

The argument against doing so is one that is becoming increasingly based on history than what could be expected to come.

Buttler is England’s T20 top scorer by more than 1,500 runs. Eoin Morgan may have been the face of white-ball transformation but it was Buttler that was the engine behind it and crucially the one who carried on when Morgan retired.

Buttler’s drop in form is not just confined to the World Cup either. Away from an unbeaten 97 in the South Africa franchise league, he failed to score above 25 and in England’s series against Sri Lanka, he averaged 27. Tom Banton meanwhile averaged 45.

That has been Buttler’s benefit so far, there have been other players to pick up the pieces. Jacob Bethell has been an erstwhile opener given how soon he has appeared at the crease and disruption at the top order has a knock-on effect for all those below.

The world of modern sport means almost everyone has a podcast and the benefit of that is we have heard direct from the horse’s mouth.

“T20 is one of those games that asks you to keep making plays,” Buttler said on his ‘For the Love of Cricket’ podcast he shares with Stuart Broad.

“There’s times where you’ve maybe been out of form in a Test match, with the batting coach, who might say ‘just rein it in for a bit and try to bat for an hour and it will come back to you’.

“So by hook or by crook, bat for an hour. But in T20s, you’ve got to keep playing the scoreboard, if you’re chasing 10 an over you’ve got to play accordingly.

“I saw Nasser say ‘just bat for 15 overs’ and I would love to just bat for 15 overs but I don’t want to bat for 15 overs just for myself and ignore the game. You’ve got to still play the game.”

It is an honest admission from Buttler but also one that shows he’s not going to change his gameplan anytime soon. Buttler is hoping to hit his way into form but England are past the stage of a World Cup when you can wait for a player to do that.

The match against Pakistan should be a turning point and if not a complete dropping from the team, it is time for the coaches to make a change and try and unlock the best of this talented England batting side. Buttler should move down to five and allow Bethell a deserved return to the opening spots. As for Buttler, a return to a position he spent the majority of his T20 career at and the finisher role may allow him to return to his imperious best.

READ NEXT: The biggest scores in T20 World Cup history as West Indies hit huge figure

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Brutal Brook century drives England to nervy victory against Pakistan

Brutal Brook century drives England to nervy victory against Pakistan

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The biggest scores in T20 World Cup history as West Indies hit huge figure

The West Indies hit an enormous 254 in their demolition of Zimbabwe at the 2026 T20 World Cup but where does it rank in the all-time top score list?

Here are the five biggest scores in T20 World Cup history.

5. South Africa – 229/4 v England (2016)

When three of your players hit a half century and you score the then-second highest total in a T20 World Cup, you would feel pretty good about your chances but unfortunately for South Africa, they are the owners of the biggest losing total having hit 229 against England in 2016.

They began by putting on a 96-run partnership between openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock and Jean-Paul Duminy saw out the innings with an unbeaten half century of his own but even a run rate of 11.45 proved to not be enough.

4. England – 230/8 v South Africa (2016)

Even with a record total to chase, the batting power in the 2016 England squad meant no one had written them off just yet.

They began with a 48-run partnership between Jason Roy and Alex Hales but their effort looked to be coming up short when Ben Stokes was dismissed for 15.

But in came the calming presence of Joe Root who hit 83 off 44 balls to turn the match in England’s favour.

While impressive from England, it was a match of self-sabotage too with South Africa giving away 26 extras, 20 of which were wides.

3. Ireland – 235/5 v Oman (2026)

Even before the West Indies, the 2026 World Cup had seen a huge score come from Ireland in the Group Stage.

Captain Lorcan Tucker hit an unbeaten 94 while Gareth Delany registered 56 as Ireland raced to 235/5.

Oman put up a fair fight with opener Aamir Kaleem scoring 50 and Hammad Mirza scoring 46 but only one other player hit double digits as they reached 139.

2. West Indies – 254/6 v Zimbabwe (2026)

West Indies have quickly emerged as one of the outside contenders for this year’s tournament and with batting power like this, it is easy to see why.

No.3 Shimron Hetmyer was the star, hitting seven sixes and seven fours on his way to 85 runs off just 34 balls and Rovman Powell was in similar striking form with his 59 off 35.

Solid scores across the order with just one player facing more than one ball and not getting into the double digits saw West Indies rack up 254 runs, the second highest in T20 World Cup history.

1. Sri Lanka – 260/6 v Kenya (2007)

West Indies fell just six runs short of the all-time record which is held by Sri Lanka for their effort back in 2007.

It came in the Group Stage against Kenya and was led by opener Sanath Jayasuriya who hit 88 off 44 balls. Healthy scores from Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and an unbeaten 46 from Jehan Mubarak gave The Lions the almighty target which Kenya just could not get close to.

In their innings, they managed just 88 with their top scorer, Alex Obanda, scoring 21.

READ NEXT: 7 reasons why things went so horribly wrong for Australia at the T20 World Cup

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Brilliant bowlers crush Sri Lanka to put England on verge of T20 World Cup semi-final

Brilliant bowlers crush Sri Lanka to put England on verge of T20 World Cup semi-final

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7 reasons why things went so horribly wrong for Australia at the T20 World Cup

Let’s not pretend that we are indifferent to Australia‘s ongoing struggles at the T20 World Cup. Consecutive losses to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have left the Baggy Green’s on the cusp of exiting the tournament, with their destiny firmly in the hands of other teams.

More than any other side, South Africans seem to love seeing Australia struggle. That Schadenfreude is probably firmly rooted in the trauma inflicted on our boys back in the late 1990’s and early 2000s – particularly that game that still cannot be mentioned.

But we are not here to talk about why we enjoy watching the Aussie’s struggle, let’s try to understand what’s going on with one of the world’s former cricketing superpowers who have seemingly turned into a pale shadow of their former selves.

1. Injuries

Australia have been badly hit by injuries, particularly to their frontline quick bowlers. They are without both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood who are two outstanding campaigners.

The absence of the two physically imposing quicks shouldn’t be enough to derail Australia, but it is certainly something that has sat at the back of their minds.

When you consider that Mitchell Starc is recently retired from the format suddenly the Baggy Greens are at a World Cup for the first time in more than a decade without any of their big three bowlers.

2. Depth

One of the key factors for sides like South Africa and India has been their ability to build squad depth. The Proteas lost Tony De Zorzi and Donny Ferreira ahead of the tournament and they were seamlessly replaced by Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton.

Similarly, if Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi were forced out, waiting in the wings would be Anrich Nortje, Kwena Maphaka and Ottneil Baartman, all ready to step up and do the business.

Depth is critical and Shukri Conrad has worked hard to develop this – sometimes the creation of depth has been to the detriment of results in the short-term, but if World Cup glory is the goal, then forsaking results in bilateral series is the cost that must be paid.

From an Aussie perspective, while their first-choice line-up has an impressive look about it, the depth that once existed is no longer there, and names like Ben Dwarshuis, Cooper Connolly,

Xavier Bartlett, Matthew Kuhnemann and Matthew Renshaw don’t invoke fear like the names of old.

Also read: 8 of the strangest cricket injuries

3. Age

Any squad needs balance – It needs the experience of veterans and the verve of youth. Critically it also needs a solid core of players in their prime.

Although they won the Ashes, what was noticeable about Australia is that they were a very old team – they fielded just one player under the age of 30. Their World Cup team is a little younger, but it is still too full of players who are past their prime.

Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis for instance, are excellent cricketers – but are the 2026 versions of those players as good as the 2022 versions? Probably not. Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Steve Smith and Nathan Ellis are also all on the wrong side of 30.

4. Confidence

Australia’s preparation for the tournament has been poor. Their domestic franchise league the Big Bash ran perilously close to the start of the World Cup which meant that many players were not available for the preparations, including their tour to Pakistan.

That tour to Pakistan was an unmitigated disaster as the Baggy Greens were whitewashed 3-0 on the big turning tracks of Lahore. Their confidence was badly shaken in Pakistan and on reflection they should probably have found an alternative warm-up destination.

5. Selection

Players thrive when team communication and messaging is clear. Australia have got this wrong as questions about their selections abound. Steve Smith is a great example of this. He was in stellar form during the BBL, averaging almost 60, but despite this, he was not selected.

Yes, he is old. But he is also vastly experienced with World Cup winning credentials and he is in form. He was eventually called up as cover for Hazelwood when it became apparent that the bowler would not be able to play.

Then, having joined the squad he was left sitting on the sidelines while the middle-order imploded against Sri Lanka.

To make matters worse, when skipper Mitch Marsh was declared fit to play the selectors opted to drop Matt Renshaw, while leaving Tim David and Cameron Green in the side – the duo who have a combined 30 runs between them all tournament.

Commenting on the selection issues former batsman Mark Waugh told SEN radio on Tuesday: “This campaign has been doomed from the get-go.

“I just think they’ve got the selections completely wrong, and to have your best player by 100 yards ⁠sitting on the sideline in Steve Smith… I ⁠think it’s an insult to Steve ‌Smith, to be honest.”

6. Form

To win a tournament you need players to peak at the right time. There may yet be an opportunity for the Aussie players to come good, but it looks unlikely. As it stands, key players are simply not performing as they should in T20 cricket.

To put their lack of form into context they have played three games thus far and lost 26 wickets. They were bowled out twice and lost six wickets against India. By contrast they have taken 14 opposition wickets.

Ireland was bowled out, but to claim just two scalps apiece against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka (in games where they were bowled out) suggests a degree of toothlessness in attack.

The two top ranked Aussie bowlers Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis each grabbed four poles in the opener against Ireland, but since then they have both gone wicketless, with Zampa conceding 72 runs in the process and Ellis going for 66.

7. Mentality

All the above factors combine to affect the mentality of a team. Australia, under the likes of Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting built a culture of winning and of outthinking their opponents when they were struggling to outperform them.

This Australian side have lost that ability. Sure, they can stand up to minnows and bully them, but when a team comes hard at them, playing good cricket, they fold too easily.

Shukri Conrad likes to talk about ‘always finding a way’ and his Proteas’ charges repeatedly do, but the current version of Australia seem all out of ideas when the going gets tough.

Read next: Why the T20 World Cup is Harry Brook’s golden chance to salvage his reputation

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T20 World Cup predictions – UAE to stun SA? Namibia to shock Pakistan? Netherlands to upset India?

We are heading into matchday 12 of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

The action continues in India and Sri Lanka.

Wednesday brings three big matches.

South Africa v United Arab Emirates

Key talking points

South Africa

Safely through to the Super Eights South Africa are looking confident and comfortable with a host of key players in good form.

The Proteas record in bi-lateral series between World Cups has been poor, but their record in T20 World Cup has been excellent with just one loss (in the final) in this campaign and the last.

Expect them to make some changes to the team for the UAE encounter as they look to give players who are yet to feature a run.

UAE

By the time the UAE face the proteas on Wednesday it is likely that their outside hopes of advancing to the Super Eights are gone.

If they are to advance, they need Canada to beat New Zealand on Tuesday and then they must beat the Proteas.

It’s possible but it is unlikely. The most likely scenario is that the UAE head home after this encounter with the memories of their victory over Canada the highlight of their campaign

Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi

The UAE have played two T20Is at the venue. It was the site of their win over Canada earlier in the tournament, while last time there they were beaten by Afghanistan.

Meanwhile South Africa have won both their two previous games at the venue – the most recent of which came against India in 2022.

Wednesday’s game will be just the 13th T20I to be played at the ground.

This is a venue where sides like to chase. Of the 12 previous games played at the ground the side that won the toss opted to chase ten times.

The average first innings score at the venue is 150.

The highest score made at the ground was India’s 221 for nine from 20 overs made against Bangladesh in 2024.

The lowest score recorded at the venue was Namibia’s 116 all out made against India earlier in the tournament.

The highest score successfully chased at the ground was South Africa’s 212 for three from 19.1 overs, made against India in 2022.

Weather

Wednesday in Delhi is expected to be cloudy and overcast. Temperatures will hover around 26 degrees, though high humidity may make it feel warmer.

While there is a chance for light rain or thundershowers, that would be later in the afternoon, although there are likely to be a strengthening surface winds and developing cloud as the game progresses.

Form

• South Africa: W, W, W, L, W
• UAE: L, W, L, L, L

Key players

Aiden Markram

Since striking form in his last game of the SA20 campaign, Markram has been in a genuine purple patch. He was imperious against New Zealand with a knock of

86 not out from 44 balls. That innings followed on from scores of five and 59 in the Proteas opening games of the campaign.

Markram has looked very good at the top of the order alongside Quinton de Kock and with an average of 31.55 and a strike rate of 147.22 he will be hopeful of taking the attack to UAE on Wednesday.

Sohaib Khan

Last time out against Afghanistan he struck a career best 68 from 48 balls. It was a fine knock that helped the UAE post a competitive score of 160.

His knock against Afghanistan was his second half-century of the tournament after he had earlier struck 51 against Canada.

Still, something of an unknown quantity, Khan has played just five T20Is, he will be hoping that the Proteas haven’t seen too much footage of his previous knocks.

Prediction: South Africa

The Proteas are likely to give players like Jason Smith, Kwena Maphaka and Anrich Nortje a run given that they have already secured passage to the Super Eights.

Alongside India the Proteas are suddenly looking like the tournament’s form team and they are unlikely to slip up against UAE.

Also read: 8 of the strangest cricket injuries

Namibia v Pakistan

Key talking points

Namibia

Wednesday’s encounter with Pakistan will be Namibia’s final game of the 2026 World Cup and they will be desperate to go home with a win. Pakistan won’t be easy, but Namibia will do their best to apply pressure and see what happens.

The African minnows have absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. Expect them to empty their bag of tricks on Wednesday.

Pakistan

From a Pakistan perspective the game against India was an utter disaster. It wasn’t just that they were badly beaten, it’s the fact that it was by India, their arch-rivals and political enemies.

For India and Pakistan, it’s not just a cricket game, it’s a metaphor for war.

That game is gone now, but Pakistan will need to make sure that it is firmly consigned to the past and that there are no lingering hangovers or unreconciled emotions following Sunday’s blowout.

On paper, Pakistan should breeze past Namibia, but they must ensure they are mentally ready.

Venue: Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo

Namibia have never played at this venue before while Pakistan have played here twice, winning on both occasions.

Despite being a well-established Test venue, the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground has hosted just six previous T20Is. The most recent was Saturday’s clash between Ireland and Oman.

The highest total recorded at the ground was Pakistan’s 235 for five made against Oman earlier in the tournament.

The average first innings score at the ground is 133.

This will be the fifth game of the current World Cup to be hosted here.

Sri Lanka have never played a T20I at the venue – all the matches at the ground have been between neutral sides.

Canada’s 176 for three made against Ireland in 2010 is the lowest score ever defended at the venue.

Weather

It does not look like good weather for cricket in Colombo on Wednesday afternoon with forecasts suggesting thunder showers and potentially heavy rain.

Temperatures will stay around 28 degrees though high humidity of around 75 percent may make it feel closer to 33 degrees. Winds will be light to moderate, blowing from the north-northeast.

Form

• Namibia: L, L, L, W, L
• Pakistan: L, W, W, W, W

Key players

Louren Steenkamp

Little known Louren Steenkamp has just ten T20Is to his name, but he posted a career best 58 last time out in the game against America.

Batting at the top of the order Steenkamp looked compact and confident against the USA.

He struggled early in the tournament but an innings of 29 against India in Delhi would have given him a lift and he will want to keep his World Cup adventure going for as long as possible.

Sahibzada Farhan

Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan is their highest ranked player at present at number three on the ICC T20I list.

He failed against India, but he has shown real relish for tucking into associate attacks with scores of 73 and 47 against the USA and Netherlands respectively.

Remarkably his T20I average is just 25.41 which is largely due to the hit and miss nature of his batting. Farhan tends to go early or to go big… he will be eyeing up the Namibian attack on Wednesday with every intention of going big.

Prediction: Pakistan

This is a must-win for Pakistan. Win it and they go through to the Super Eights, lose and they head home.

Pakistan is a mercurial outfit who don’t always deal well with pressure, but they should have enough in the tank to bounce back from their humbling against India and beat Namibia.

India v Netherlands

Key talking points

India

India are on a run of incredible form, and they head into Wednesday’s game having won 16 consecutive games in ICC limited-overs tournaments.

Their last loss in either a World Cup or a the Champions Trophy was against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup final. It the longest winning streak for a men’s team in ICC events.

Adding to their confidence is the fact that their record-winning streak at the T20 World Cups now extends to 11 wins. They will be supremely confident of making it 12 wins on Wednesday.

Netherlands

It’s not likely, but the Netherlands could advance to the Super Eights if they win convincingly against India and other results go their way.

The reality is that with just one win from their three games thus far, the Dutch are almost certainly heading home following Wednesday encounter.

They would love to exit on their own terms, and a win over India would certainly be a phenomenal achievement.

But such is the inferiority of their run rate that a simple win over India won’t be enough for them to catch USA, who are currently second in the group – a position likely to be usurped should Pakistan beat Namibia.

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

India have played eight previous T20Is in Ahmedabad, and they have won six of them. Netherlands, meanwhile, will be making their first appearance at the ground.

Wednesday’s game will be the 12th T20I to be held at the venue.

The side that won the toss has fielded first in ten of the 11 games played at the ground.

The average first innings score at the ground is 172.

The highest score made at the ground was India’s 234 for four from 20 overs scored against New Zealand in 2023. The Kiwi’s reply to that score was the lowest ever total at the ground – they were dismissed for just 66 runs.

The highest score successfully chased at the ground was India’s 166 for three from 17.5 overs, made against England in 2021. Afghanistan chased 187 last week, which was enough to tie the game but not to win it.

Weather

Wednesday night in Ahmedabad will be ideal for cricket with clear skies and pleasant, dry conditions. Temperatures will gradually dip to around 21 degrees.

With humidity near 35 percent and light northerly winds around 10 km/h, it is perfect for cricket. No rain is expected, ensuring a calm, starry night across the city.

Form

• India: W, W, W, W, L
• Netherlands: L, W, L, NR, L

Key players

Ishan Kishan

The little wicketkeeper has been in sensational form this tournament and is currently the third highest scorer with 158 runs at an average of 52.66.

He has been sensational and he has scored brutally fast with a strike rate of 197.50.

Kishan was meant to be the reserve keeper with the spot at eth top of the order earmarked for Sanju Samson, but a bucketload of runs since the start of the year has seen him make the openers spot alongside Abhishek Sharma.

For the record Kishan’s scores since the start of the year have been 76, 28, 103, 53, 20, 61, 77.

Bas de Leede

Allrounder Bas de Leede has been the standout performer for Netherlands all tournament contributing with both the bat and the ball.

He has made starts each time he has walked out to bat with knocks of 30, 72* and 23 while he has also taken five wickets with a best return of three for 37 last time out against the USA.

De Leede’s pedigree is undisputed (his father was the team’s former skipper Tim de Leede) and it comes as no surprise that he looks completely at home at the highest level.

Prediction: India

India have already qualified for the Super Eights, but they won’t want to take their foot off the accelerator at this stage. They have momentum on their side, and they are playing at home.

They may well look to give some game time to their players who have yet to feature but expect them to see off Netherlands with ease.

Read next: Why the T20 World Cup is Harry Brook’s golden chance to salvage his reputation

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