Cricket

Miller’s record T20I ton takes Proteas to 224

South African batsman David Miller raises his bat and helmet as he celebrates scoring a century during the second T20 cricket match between South Africa and Bangladesh. Photo: AFP

South Africa batsman David Miller hit an unbelievable 35-ball century, the fastest in T20I cricket, to take South Africa to 224 for four in the second T20I against Bangladesh at Senwes Park. He was well on his way to establishing another record as five sixes off the first five balls from Mohammad Saifuddin in the 19th over had gone for six, but the powerful left-hander missed out on emulating Yuvraj Singh's feat of six sixes in an over as the last ball was a single, making it just 31 runs from the over. 15 more runs came off the last 10 overs as Miller helped South Africa plunder a scarcely believable 146 runs in the last 10 overs, and 90 runs off the last five.

But it started very differently after Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and chose to field. For the first 10 overs of South Africa's innings, Bangladesh were not just in the hunt but seemed to be lining up for something special as AB de Villiers walked back after 9.5 overs with the score reading 78 for three. However, since that four-run over from Saifuddin, Miller and Hashim Amla just went after the bowling.

Shakib had taken the first two wickets, bowling Mangaliso Mosehle for five in the third over and then doing the same to opposite number JP Duminy in the fifth over. He bowled his four overs at a stretch after opening the bowling and had great figures of two for 22. The rest however had sorry analyses as Saifuddin had two for 53 off four, Mehedi Hasan Miraz had none for 46 from four, Taskin Ahmed's three wicketless overs went for 41 and Rubel Hossain conceded 51 off his four.

The De Villiers dismissal, caught well at long off by Imrul Kayes for a 15-ball 20, started the carnage. Hashim Amla and Miller put on 79 runs in just 6.4 overs before Amla became Saifuddin's second victim in the 17th over, caught at deep square leg off a slower ball for 85 off 51 balls.

After the 31-run over, Miller hit two boundaries and took two couples to reach the fastest T20I hundred, eclipsing the previous mark of 45 balls set by countryman Richard Levi against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2012. Miller finished unbeaten on 101 off 36 balls with seven fours and nine sixes.

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Miller’s record T20I ton takes Proteas to 224

South African batsman David Miller raises his bat and helmet as he celebrates scoring a century during the second T20 cricket match between South Africa and Bangladesh. Photo: AFP

South Africa batsman David Miller hit an unbelievable 35-ball century, the fastest in T20I cricket, to take South Africa to 224 for four in the second T20I against Bangladesh at Senwes Park. He was well on his way to establishing another record as five sixes off the first five balls from Mohammad Saifuddin in the 19th over had gone for six, but the powerful left-hander missed out on emulating Yuvraj Singh's feat of six sixes in an over as the last ball was a single, making it just 31 runs from the over. 15 more runs came off the last 10 overs as Miller helped South Africa plunder a scarcely believable 146 runs in the last 10 overs, and 90 runs off the last five.

But it started very differently after Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss and chose to field. For the first 10 overs of South Africa's innings, Bangladesh were not just in the hunt but seemed to be lining up for something special as AB de Villiers walked back after 9.5 overs with the score reading 78 for three. However, since that four-run over from Saifuddin, Miller and Hashim Amla just went after the bowling.

Shakib had taken the first two wickets, bowling Mangaliso Mosehle for five in the third over and then doing the same to opposite number JP Duminy in the fifth over. He bowled his four overs at a stretch after opening the bowling and had great figures of two for 22. The rest however had sorry analyses as Saifuddin had two for 53 off four, Mehedi Hasan Miraz had none for 46 from four, Taskin Ahmed's three wicketless overs went for 41 and Rubel Hossain conceded 51 off his four.

The De Villiers dismissal, caught well at long off by Imrul Kayes for a 15-ball 20, started the carnage. Hashim Amla and Miller put on 79 runs in just 6.4 overs before Amla became Saifuddin's second victim in the 17th over, caught at deep square leg off a slower ball for 85 off 51 balls.

After the 31-run over, Miller hit two boundaries and took two couples to reach the fastest T20I hundred, eclipsing the previous mark of 45 balls set by countryman Richard Levi against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2012. Miller finished unbeaten on 101 off 36 balls with seven fours and nine sixes.

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