South Africa faced the sting of a fifth World Cup semifinal loss, a bitter pill to swallow for a team that had impressed throughout the tournament. Despite their powerful batting display in the group stage, they fell short in the semifinal against Australia. Veteran batter David Miller, who played a pivotal role with a century, expressed his frustration at not reaching the final but believes that South Africa will inevitably claim the coveted trophy in the future.
In the face of their 'choker' reputation in World Cups, South Africa showcased their prowess in this edition, led by emerging talents like pace bowling all-rounder Gerald Coetzee and left-arm quick Marco Jansen.
"It's pretty frustrating to be honest. Quinny (Quinton De Kock) mentioned with his four hundreds, he is okay not to score any runs and win the trophy," Miller told reporters after the match.
"You want to get through to the final and have a crack at the trophy. We're happy to have hung in there and put up a total. That's the game of cricket." The likes of pace bowling all-rounder Gerald Coetzee, who made his ODI debut only in March this year, along with left-arm quick Marco Jansen have been impressive for South Africa in this World Cup.
"Before the tournament started, we talked about just having great memories, and enjoy the journey. We ticked a lot of boxes, can definitely look back and say we had a great time. It doesn't help losing a semifinal but guys showed a lot of character," he added.
Reflecting on past World Cup disappointments, particularly the 2015 semifinal against New Zealand, Miller noted a difference in mood, stating that there were more tears in Auckland. Despite the frustration of losing a semifinal, he highlighted the team's consistent performances and individual standouts in this edition.
When questioned about retirement, the 34-year-old Miller remained uncertain, emphasizing a year-by-year assessment based on how his body feels. Looking ahead to the next World Cup, he acknowledged the considerable distance but expressed a willingness to evaluate his future in the game.
"There were a lot more tears in Auckland. Not a great feeling to lose a World Cup semifinal. But we had a great campaign from the team, consistent performances (in this edition). Individuals have stood out, to lose this is pretty frustrating," he said.
Addressing the captaincy of Temba Bavuma, who admitted to not being 100 percent fit in the semifinal but still played, Miller praised Bavuma's leadership, crediting him for elevating ODI cricket. Despite Bavuma's lack of runs in the tournament, Milr added the importance of having a leader like him in the team.
"He (Bavuma) didn't get runs as he would have liked to. But he has done his fitness and he was fine, obviously he was not 100 per cent but the leader that he's, I think he's really stood up in the last year-and-half. He has taken ODI cricket to another level" Miller said.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
