Miller and the single he didn’t take

He played 41 not out innings against Gujarat titans In a league match of IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals were losing against Gujarat Titans despite KL Rahul’s 92-run knock while chasing 211 runs. However, David Miller appeared as an unsung hero. 

He smashed Mohammed Siraj for 23 runs in a single over to crack the game open. However, despite scoring 41* off just 20 balls, Miller failed to guide DC across the finish line.

He refused a single on the penultimate delivery and then missed the last ball by miles as Delhi Capitals fell short of just a single run. People trolled him calling him a choker once again.

 

4 other matches David Miller failed to finish 

 

David Miller has been a part of the South Africa team setup that has historically struggled in ICC knockouts. Repeated exits in semifinals and finals have put a "chokers" label on the Proteas.

However, Miller, being a key finisher, got dragged into this narrative, and his career trajectory has a lot to do with it. Time and again, the Protea has unleashed mayhem but somehow failed to finish.

His wild knocks often ended in a losing cause, which further fuelled the 'choker' narrative. On this note, let's look at five such big matches that David Miller failed to finish despite batting heroics.

 

David Miller's Failures In Big Matches

1. 101 vs Australia - 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final

In the second semi-final of the 2023 ODI World Cup held at Eden Gardens, South Africa batted first and lost the entire top order with just 22 runs on the board. Against the odds, David Miller stepped up to the rescue. 

He slammed 101 off 116 balls, including 8 fours and 5 sixes, to guide the Proteas to a respectable total of 212 runs. The target, however, proved to be not good enough as Australia chased it down with 16 balls remaining, and Miller’s century went in vain.

 

2. 100* vs New Zealand - 2025 Champions Trophy semi-final

South Africa faced New Zealand in the semi-final of the 2025 Champions Trophy at Lahore. The Kiwis hammered 362 runs in the first innings, and while the chase appeared tough, David Miller kept the Proteas’ hopes alive. 

Despite a wicket falling at the other end, Miller kept the scoreboard ticking. He hammered 100 runs in just 67 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes. However, due to a lack of support from lower-order, South Africa eventually fell short of 50 runs. This was the second time Miller scored a century in a losing cause.

 

3. 21 vs India - 2024 T20 World Cup final

In an infamous choke, South Africa lost the 2024 T20 World Cup final to India from a winning position. David Miller blew the game open with an intense 21 off 17 balls. However, he failed to clear a long-off against Hardik Pandya as Suryakumar Yadav pulled off an acrobatic running catch in the last over. 

South Africa then collapsed out of nowhere and fell short of just 7 runs. Miller had the best opportunity to lead South Africa to its maiden ICC title. But one bad shot prevented him from finishing in style.

 

4. 49 vs New Zealand - 2015 ODI World Cup semi-final

In yet another ICC ODI World Cup semi-final, South Africa failed to score big in the first innings. Despite AB de Villiers and Faf du Plessis’ big partnership, the Proteas needed a big finish. David Miller stepped up, scoring 49 off just 18 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. 

Owing to that brilliant effort, South Africa managed to score 281/5. However, the Proteas failed miserably to defend the total as they lost by 4 wickets, and once again Miller’s heroics ended up in the losing cause.