David Miller, the South African all-rounder, has opened up about the heartbreaking moment in the T20 World Cup 2024 final that saw his team lose to India. The pivotal moment came in the last over of the match when South Africa needed 16 runs to win.
The Unexpected Full Toss
Miller recalled the first ball of the final over bowled by Hardik Pandya, which he did not anticipate would be a full toss. 'I wasn't actually expecting a full toss like that. I always do kind of have a full toss in mind, but it just caught me a little bit off guard and I got it just slightly wrong,' Miller explained.
He also mentioned the presence of a slight breeze that might have affected the trajectory of the ball. 'There was a little breeze that was kind of coming across us, not necessarily into us, but it was more slightly in and across. So the margins are so small,' Miller added.
Suryakumar Yadav's Brilliant Catch
Despite feeling he had timed the ball well enough to clear the boundary, Miller's shot was spectacularly caught by Suryakumar Yadav at long on. This catch is being hailed as one of the best of the tournament and was the turning point that sealed South Africa's fate.
Miller expressed his frustration and disappointment, feeling that he had let his country and teammates down. 'Frustration, disappointment, failure. All these negative things come into your head. It was the moment for me to win the game. But it wasn't for me to do it. I felt like I had let the country down, I have let myself down and my teammates down,' he said.
Emotional Aftermath
The loss was particularly hard for Miller, given South Africa's strong performance throughout the tournament. He admitted to feeling a mix of emotions including anger, frustration, and disappointment. 'Pretty hard to explain, but yeah, I suppose anger is probably one of them. I took it pretty hard. I almost just didn't want to walk off the field,' Miller reflected.
Miller hopes to use this experience as motivation to come back stronger, acknowledging the brutal nature of sports. 'Sports is not fair for everyone. I wouldn't have done anything different on that ball, accept for timing it better,' he concluded.
