In the semi-final of the Champions Trophy 2025, David Miller of South Africa criticized the ICC for disruptive scheduling after their loss to New Zealand. Forced to endure a taxing travel schedule, the team faced challenges impacting their performance. Despite Miller’s century, South Africa fell short, and he expressed support for New Zealand in the final against India.
David Miller, South Africa’s standout player in the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against New Zealand, criticized the ICC for the tournament’s scheduling after South Africa’s 50-run defeat. The unusual schedule forced both Australia and South Africa to fly to Dubai for preparation before the possibility of their semi-finals against India, leading to a disruptive back-and-forth travel for the South African team.
After the match, Miller expressed frustration: “It’s not ideal… the fact that we had to do that.” South Africa traveled from Karachi to Dubai on Sunday but had to return to Lahore for their semi-final. Although the flight lasted only 1 hour and 40 minutes, the early schedule after a game added to the team’s fatigue.
Miller scored a commendable unbeaten century of 67 balls but their efforts fell short as South Africa could not chase New Zealand’s total of 363 runs, mainly due to effective bowling from New Zealand’s spinners. He noted that the pitch conditions worsened during the match: “…even if it’s a good wicket, the wicket just deteriorated as the game went on.”
Earlier, centuries from Rachin Ravindra and Kane Williamson propelled New Zealand to a record 362 runs. Despite their loss, Miller endorsed New Zealand’s potential, stating his support for them against India in the final: “I think I’ll be supporting New Zealand.”
David Miller’s harsh critique of the ICC’s scheduling highlights the adverse effects of travel fatigue on player performance. The semi-final loss was underscored by poor pitch conditions that affected South Africa’s chase. Despite the defeat, Miller’s outstanding performance and support for New Zealand emphasize sportsmanship and the unpredictable nature of tournament cricket.
Original Source: indianexpress.com
