Just a week ago, the Gujarat Titans won the 2022 Indian Premier League in style. This was his first appearance in the tent tournament. Hardik Pandya led the team that contributed to the win with bat and ball. There were other notable actors such as Shopman Gill, Rashid Khan, Muhammad Shami, and Rahul Twatia who rose to the occasion again and again.
But one name just popped up, and that's David Miller. The South African middle-ranked batsman won the most matches (6 total) and, during the chase, was often at the top of his game.
Miller hit first place at number five and became the sixth top scorer in the tournament. He scored 481 points in 16 games with an average of 68.71 and a hit average of 143.
Proteas captain Themba Bafuma is hoping Miller can continue his brilliance in the next five-match series between India and South Africa T20I, which will begin on June 9 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.
"Obviously, it's very nice and gives us a lot of confidence to have David Miller fit and confident. Also, his IPL performance... and as a team, we're going to build that confidence and the knowledge that is to come." "He will bring," Bafoma said.
For South Africa, Miller's bats were ranked sixth, but Pafuma indicated that the left-handed could advance.
“The talk has always been about David upgrading the standings and letting him take on a lot of balls and be more devastating. He knows his place in our team and his role in the team. He has… played a little bit. OK. But if there is a chance to deliver more. From the shipments to David, I'm sure this will be something that will be looked at."
Quinton de Kock is another South African who performed excellently in the IPL and will now appear in the upcoming T20I series. De Kock finished third on the IPL scoring list, scoring 508 points with an average of 36.28 and a strike rate of 148.97. His runs also included the tournament's highest score - an undefeated 140 that de Kock broke against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Another hitter from South Africa, Aidan Markram, also did well. Playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad and hitting the ball for 139.05, Markram scored 381 points with an average of 47.62.
Among the bowlers, Kajisu Rabada has done what he does in every intense league season and is ranked third in the list of best wicket-takers. Rabada picked up 23 wickets in just 13 games for an average of 17.65, with an economy average of 8.45. His best score came 4/33 against the Gujarat Titans' final champion.
"It's good to see some of our guys in great shape. KG (Kagiso Rabada) is on track to get faster than 100 wickets in the IPL (currently at 99). It's a matter of pride. Quente (Quinton de Kock) Bafuma talks about his team's prospects, he said.
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