ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022

November 2, 2022

David Miller

Sydney Cricket Ground

South Africa

Pre Match Media Conference

Q. David, you guys are finding different ways to win. Something Wayne Parnell said after the Perth game, that Quinton de Kock had said to him that if Wayne Parnell bats a lot, then the proper batters aren't doing their jobs. Can you talk us through that philosophy?

DAVID MILLER: Yeah, I suppose we are finding lots of ways to win. We've done it over a period of time now. I'd say probably the last year, we've found ourselves in tricky situations and managed to get over the line.

I think the continuity of the squad over time, guys have managed to sort of find their roles and sort of if one guy isn't doing well, another guy picks up the slack.

Yeah, it's difficult to be successful in this format, as there's a lot of different kind of variables, but we've managed to do well and play as a team.

I suppose if the batters are doing their job, then the allrounders and bowlers, we don't really need them to bat.

But obviously training, the guys are really putting in the hard work. The tail end allrounders, as well, because going into competitions like this we will need one or two games we might need them. So yeah, definitely putting in the yards.

Q. On your last game, it wasn't easy, even though the total was fairly low that you were chasing. What's it like to have to fight quite hard for that?

DAVID MILLER: Yeah, it was extra bounce, and it was nipping around. The guys were bowling extremely well. Credit to our bowling attack for restricting them to what the total was, and as a batting unit, like I said, we were three down there. It happens in cricket. That's where we needed to pick up the slack as middle order. So we managed to get a really good partnership, Aiden and myself, and I suppose just the whole cliche is just one ball at a time and just trying to stay in the moment as much as possible.

It was difficult, so it was just managing to try and think your way through it, and if it's difficult for me and Aiden, it's going to be more difficult for the guys coming in.

It was just a matter of sort of weathering the storm. Fortunately we weren't chasing a huge total, so the run rate got a little bit higher, and then we managed to get it back with one over, one big over, so that was always the thinking, and it worked out. Yeah, so pretty chuffed.

Q. How much confidence does it give you as a team looking at that pace attack and that you have Marco in reserve if you want another quick bowler? Does that breed a sense of confidence in the whole squad?

DAVID MILLER: Yeah, definitely, especially being in Australia with the conditions that we've got here. Our pace attack has done great things over the years, and we've managed to, like I said, for the last year, the squad has sort of come into their own, especially as a bowling unit. The guys are bowling with great energy, a lot of pace, and that's what we need here in Australia.

It is nice to have someone like Marco sitting on the bench and having him as reserve. I mean, it's a healthy environment to have.

Yeah, I think the guys are in a good space, and again, just one game at a time and trying to sort of stick to the process and stay in the moment.

Q. If I can just ask about a guy who's not here, I don't know if you caught the highlights of Dewald, 160 off 50-odd balls the other day, just how good is he and how good can he be?

DAVID MILLER: Yeah, to do that in any format or any level of cricket is something special. He definitely has shown what he's capable of. He's a huge talent, and we all know that. He is still very young, so putting performances like that back at home is what is needed, and I don't think it's going to be long until we see him playing for South Africa.

But yeah, there's still a lot to do, and very excited to see what he's sort of capable of in the years to come.

Q. Tomorrow it's quite a match for you and Pakistan. You are in good position. You are leading in the points table, but comparatively Pakistan's bowling has been better than India. How do you rate tomorrow? It could be some problem for you, for your batting and the Pakistani spinners?

DAVID MILLER: Yeah, I think we've managed to play quite a lot of games in India in the Indian conditions. We went to Pakistan not long ago, and I think we've competed really well over a period of two years. We've really been focusing as a batting squad on playing spin. The guys have definitely prepared really well and have a lot of different options.

Yeah, I think it's something that we're well aware of, and I think the guys have definitely got the skills to perform against the spinners, the Pakistan spinning team.

Yeah, I think the guys are definitely up for it. We're taking one game at a time, and we are in a great position on the table, but there's still a lot to do. So we're definitely up for tomorrow and looking forward to what it sort of brings.

Also, the conditions tomorrow might not spin. If they do spin, like I said, we've got the options. I think the guys are in a good space.

Q. David, how do you see Pakistan as an opponent, and does their position, a must-win game for them, make them more dangerous?

DAVID MILLER: Definitely. We all know every game in the World Cup is an important game, and Pakistan are always a team -- you've got to make sure that you're on your A-game as an opponent, so just making sure that we're sticking to our processes and what has worked in the past to implementing it tomorrow.

Like I said, Pakistan are a great team, and they've got some serious match winners, but yeah, we've just got to take it as it comes, and definitely the boys are up for it, and then I suppose Pakistan -- it's a must-win game for them, so they're going to be coming and charging, and we're definitely prepared for it.

Q. Pakistan has mostly relied on the opening pair of Babar Azam and Rizwan, but they haven't been able to score big runs. Do you think this gives the opponent -- this gives you an edge over Pakistan as the players they have been relying on are not able to score much runs?

DAVID MILLER: I think it is an area to exploit. This game is all about confidence, and yeah, they haven't probably performed the way they've wanted to, but they're world-class players, and we're expecting them to come out and bring their A-game and be up for the challenge.

It's by all means not just going in there and expecting to get them out first ball or early up. We've got to work really hard for every wicket, and hopefully we can get them early up and put the Pakistan middle order under pressure a little bit earlier than later.

Q. You've been very successful over the past 12, 18 months in T20 cricket, white ball cricket actually. You've been just in amazing form. In a game situation where a lot of games would choke and wouldn't necessarily be as confident as you have been, what would you put that down to? We see a lot of maturity. Would you say that it's right at that point in your career where you really, really understand your own potential for you to be performing like that in those types of pressure situations? What would you put that down to, the success in everything?

DAVID MILLER: Yeah, I mean, it has been a good ride the last year, year and a half. For me personally, I just try to draw back on past experiences. I feel like experience is a really valuable thing, and for example, on the previous game, we were in a little bit of trouble, a lot of pressure to win the game, obviously, and it's just about slowing the process down, understanding what is required right now.

I feel like in the past we maybe could have got a little hasty. I really struggled up front whereas Aiden was playing really well. So there was a lot of dot balls, and you can get a bit edgy and try and just counterattack as such. So I just try to slow myself down and realise that if I get through this period, the partnership is way more important than me just going out and giving my wicket away.

It did help that Aiden was going really, really well, and then picked up one boundary, and the momentum kind of swings your way.

It's just trying to weather the storm. I feel like I've been in a lot of different situations in my career, and it's about making sure that you're really in the moment and what's required is probably the most important. Execution then becomes another thing, but fortunately there was a couple opportunities that they missed, and that's part of the game. It obviously helps us out hugely.

Yeah, just trying to slow things down and draw back on past experiences.