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Ricky Ponting remains positive despite the numerous injury setbacks that have rocked Australia’s World Cup campaign even before its start

Nagraj Gollapudi in Bangalore11-Feb-2011Ricky Ponting remains positive despite the numerous injury setbacks that have rocked Australia’s World Cup campaign even before its start. A host of first- and second-choice players including Mike Hussey, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Clint McKay, Shaun Marsh and Xavier Doherty have failed to make the 15-man squad due to either fresh injuries or ones that did not heal in time. Ponting, however, was not complaining and pointed out that he had no doubts about his team’s chances.”I don’t really care where we start the tournament. It is irrelevant, to tell the truth,” Ponting said, when asked if the injuries had robbed the defending champions of the favourites tag, before highlighting that the same apprehension had been expressed ahead of the 2007 tournament as well. “At the last World Cup, there was a fair bit of negativity about our team, about where we were heading as a one-day team. We’d lost the CB series in Australia, went to New Zealand and lost the series 3-0. You can understand that there were a few doubts about our team. And we know what happened there. We went through it undefeated.”Ponting, playing his fifth, and last, World Cup felt the 6-1 series victory against England had erased the Ashes misery, putting the players in the right frame of mind ahead of the big event. “Our lead-up couldn’t really be much better, having just beaten a pretty good English side 6-1 at home with quite a few of our more senior players not taking part,” he said. “We are in good shape. We’ve got some really good confidence and a bit of momentum around our team. We’ve got a couple of weeks before we need to be playing our absolute best.”Ponting did concede he would dearly miss Hussey, especially with the left-hander’s amazing ability to absorb pressure down the batting order and play the finisher’s act elegantly. But the Australian selectors were sceptical about pushing forward Hussey’s case even though the player himself said later he was expecting to be included. Hussey underwent surgery after picking a serious hamstring injury during the one-day series against England. “Losing Michael Hussey is a big loss to our setup. There is no doubt about it,” Ponting said. “His experience and his knowledge of the game in tournaments like this are almost second to none. We will miss him,” he said, but finished the sentence by saying the other Hussey (David) was now in good position to fill the shoes of his elder sibling. “He’s [David] played well in the last series at home and has started to learn what it takes to bat down in the middle order in a one-day setup,” Ponting said.Jason Krejza, who made his ODI debut in the last match of the England series, was another player Ponting had a lot of faith in. The offspinner found a World Cup berth only after Hauritz failed the fitness test on Tuesday, having bowled a dozen deliveries at what he termed “60 to 70%”, which was not enough to convince the selectors to go with him. Doherty, the original back-up for Hauritz, also suffered a back injury, giving Krejza the opportunity to return to India, where he had made his Test debut, picking a match haul of 12 wickets in Nagpur on the 2008 tour. “He’s a guy that can be a real match-winning bowler for you. He does put a lot of work on the ball and spins the ball a lot. He will appreciate bowling in these conditions here,” Ponting said of his fellow Tasmanian, who had good control over batsmen during the Big Bash where he picked up nine wickets in seven matches at 6.36 runs per over.Ponting said Krejza could play a crucial role if he bowled according to the situation on the slower pitches in the subcontinent, where slow bowlers have a wider say, especially in the crucial middle overs. “Any international bowler you have, you want them to be able to play both roles – attacking and defense,” Ponting said. “If we get the right mix of guys around him as well – [Brett] Lee, [Shaun] Tait, [Mithcell] Johnson, [John] Hastings, [Doug] Bollinger – all fairly attacking bowlers, there should not be any reason why we will not able to break partnerships in this tournament,” Ponting said. “It’s exciting to have someone like him in the group. He’s a noted wicket-taker and if he bowls his best in these conditions, he could have a really big impact on some of the games that we play.”

Afghanistan continued their fairytale rise in international cricket with a tense victory over tournament favourites Ireland in the World Twenty20 Qualifier in Dubai

Cricinfo staff09-Feb-2010
Scorecard
Mohammad Nabi produced a magnificent allround display to continue Afghanistan’s fairytale rise in international cricket with victory over Ireland, in a gripping match at the World Twenty20 Qualifier in Dubai.In a fluctuating contest, neither side were separated for long until Afghanistan surged to victory with four wickets from the final four legitimate deliveries of the match. The day began with William Porterfield winning the toss and inserting Afghanistan on a lively pitch in the International Stadium. Trent Johntson, Ireland’s evergreen opening bowler, made the most of the bounce available, getting his side off to an ideal start with two quick wickets. Karim Sadiq was bowled in Jonhston’s first over before Shafiqullah, lashed out after a couple of dot balls to be caught smartly by John Mooney.It could have been worse for Afghanistan as a number of chances were spilled before Noor Ali and wicketkeeper Mohammad Shahzad steadied things with a 47-run third-wicket stand in just under seven overs. At 57 for 2 at the half-way stage the foundations had been laid for a decent total but Shahzad was run out by Mooney for 12 before Ali fell soon after. He was dismissed by a full-length diving catch by Paul Stirling as he tried to flick Andre Botha into the leg side. It left Afghanistan reeling at 69 for 4 with just over seven overs to go.Nabi immediately arrested the momentum with successive sixes off young left-arm spinner George Dockrell, which was followed by another captain Nowroz Mangal. Though Mangal was stumped the next ball, trying to repeat another heave, the damage had been done with 23-runs from the over. As wickets tumbled around him, Nabi’s blend of quick running and occasional boundary swiping lifted the total to 139 and he finished unbeaten on 43 from 25 balls.As a captain opening the innings, Porterfield had an important role in calming the nerves and setting the tone for the run chase. With a four in the first over and successive, massive sixes over midwicket off Shapoor Zadran in the third, he got off to a flyer. Zadran held his nerve, however, and removed Niall O’Brien off the final ball of the third over. Having already taken 14 from the first five legal deliveries, there was no need for O’Brien to try and smite another boundary, it proved his undoing as he was caught by Ali for 2.Stirling, Ireland’s most promising young player, joined his captain as the two calmly lifted the total to 49 off just six overs. At that stage Ireland looked like they could coast home but Sadiq made up for his earlier disappointment with the bat with a crucial double-strike in the seventh over. First Porterfield was bowled by a sharply-spinning offbeak and then Andre Botha was bowled through that gate from one that came back at him for a duck. Kevin O’Brien and Stirling soon followed as Afghanistan took charge to leave Ireland at 98 for 7, still 41 needed from 33 balls.Johnston and Mooney then wrestled back some of the momentum, putting on 27 in four overs to keep Ireland in the hunt, before Johnston holed out off a full toss from Nabi to leave Ireland needing 14 from the final six balls. They didn’t get close as Hamid Hasan ran out Peter Connell from the first ball and castled Mooney off the second to secure Afghanistan a sensational start in their quest to reach a global tournament.Speaking after the game Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan was delighted with his side’s performance. “It is very heartening to beat a top side like Ireland on a consistent basis. This reflects that we are learning and learning fast,” he said. “It is certainly a jump start for my side as Ireland is the best side in the tournament. The victory has given us a tremendous boost and confidence.”Porterfield, meanwhile, was very disappointed with the way his side imploded today. “We lost it all round really. I don’t think we deserved anything from the game, the way we went at it,” he said.”We didn’t bowl badly but we probably gave them 20 or 30 runs with the amount of dropped catches. But even walking off the field, I would have taken 140, I wasn’t too disappointed to be chasing that. Just the way we went about it with the bat wasn’t good enough. The way we’ve been preparing for the last two weeks has been nowhere near that standard, and it wasn’t good enough.”

Big names are missing due to the Asia Cup and India A’s multi-day series against Australia A

Ashish Pant10-Sep-2025

Big picture: Big names missing in final

With a host of big names either playing the Asia Cup or getting ready for India A’s red-ball series against Australia A, the Duleep Trophy 2025-26 final at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru is expected to be a low-key affair. Both South Zone and Central Zone have brought in reinforcements after their respective semi-finals.Central Zone have made four changes, with Vidarbha seamer Nachiket Bhute, Madhya Pradesh’s Kumar Kartikeya and Kuldeep Sen, and Rajasthan’s left-arm spinner Kukna Ajay Singh getting into the mix. They come in for Yash Thakur, Harsh Dubey, Khaleel Ahmed and Manav Suthar, who have departed for the four-day series against Australia A in Lucknow.South Zone, meanwhile, have brought in Karnataka’s R Smaran and Tamil Nadu’s C Andre Siddarth in place of Devdutt Padikkal and N Jagadeesan.Related

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Central Zone’s batting looks formidable. Three of the four highest run-scorers in the tournament belong to them: Danish Malewar (294), Rajat Patidar (268) and Shubham Sharma (252). The bowling, however, is severely depleted, with four of their frontliners out of the final.The onus will be on offspinner Saransh Jain, who got a match haul of 8 for 205, and, with that, the Player-of-the-Match award in the semi-final against West Zone, to continue his form. Central Zone will also hope for Deepak Chahar to get back among the wickets. The seamer has had a lukewarm Duleep Trophy so far – two wickets in three innings at 58 – and hasn’t found much movement with the new ball.South Zone have an inexperienced batting unit, and will bank on Tanmay Agarwal, Ricky Bhui and captain Mohammed Azharuddeen to get some runs. The bowlers, led by quick Gurjapneet Singh, were impressive in the semi-final against North Zone, and will hope to continue their wicket-taking form.Central Zone have only played at Ground B, which has a black-soil pitch, while South Zone have previous experience of playing at Ground A, which will host the final, and has a red-soil pitch. Both teams dominated their respective semi-finals, qualifying by virtue of a first-innings lead.The Duleep Trophy final will be live streamed on the JioHotstar app.Rajat Patidar has a strike rate of 106.34 in the Duleep Trophy this season•PTI

In the spotlight: Rajat Patidar and Mohammed Azharuddeen

With scores of 125, 66 and 77, Rajat Patidar has been in impressive form in the Duleep Trophy. He is third on the run charts, while his strike rate of 106.34 is the highest for any batter to have played more than six balls in the tournament. Patidar’s captaincy has also stood out in both games, but with many of his frontline bowlers missing, it will be tested in the final.South Zone captain Mohammed Azharuddeen missed out on an excellent batting pitch in the semi-final. He will want to make amends. Azharuddeen, who will also keep wicket with Jagadeesan away, had a terrific Ranji Trophy 2024-25, scoring 635 runs at 70.55 in Kerala’s run to the final. He also entered the Duleep Trophy on the back of a decent Kerala Cricket League, where he recorded 253 runs in eight innings.

Team news: Central’s new bowlers

South Zone could send Shaik Rasheed to open alongside Tanmay, while Smaran could come into the middle order. Salman Nizar was struck on the knee during the semi-final, and had to be carried to the dugout. If he fails to recover in time, they could bring Siddarth into the XI.South Zone (probable): 1 Shaik Rasheed, 2 Tanmay Agarwal, 3 Mohit Kale, 4 R Smaran, 5 Ricky Bhui (vice-capt), 6 C Andre Siddarth/Salman Nizar, 7 Mohammed Azharuddeen (capt, wk), 8 Tanay Thyagarajan, 9 Gurjapneet Singh, 10 Vasuki Koushik, 11 MD NidheeshDeepak Chahar has two wickets at an average of 58 in this season’s Duleep Trophy•PTI

Central Zone are unlikely to tinker with their batting order, but will have to field almost a fresh bowling unit. While Chahar is likely to hold on to his place, Kartikeya, Kuldeep and Aditya Thakare could all come into the side.Central Zone (probable): 1 Aayush Pandey, 2 Danish Malewar, 3 Shubham Sharma, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Yash Rathod, 6 Upendra Yadav (wk), 7 Aditya Thakare, 8 Saransh Jain, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Kumar Kartikeya, 11 Kuldeep Sen

Pitch and conditions: Runs galore

The surface at Ground A has been excellent for batting. Neither of the two Duleep Trophy games played there had a fourth innings, with only 45 wickets falling across the quarter-final and the semi-final. According to the weather forecast, there could be a mix of cloudy skies and rain showers throughout the five days of the final.

Quotes

“There was something for the fast bowlers, especially when they were hitting the seam – it was moving in and out. But we need to be really patient for that one ball. We know that it is a flat wicket, but we also know that there will be something in between.

The left-arm spinner is relishing his role in the Titans attack, and the prospect of batters playing out Rashid Khan and coming after him

Shashank Kishore25-Mar-20241:18

McClenaghan: ‘Mohit’s experience really shone through’

As a spinner, dew can be your biggest nightmare. And when the opponents are cruising at 107 for 2, needing 62 off 48, the challenges are that much greater.R Sai Kishore had bowled three wicketless overs for 19 up until this point. Rohit Sharma was set on 43, and another few overs of him would have all but closed the door on the Gujarat Titans. It’s at this point that Sai Kishore made his mark.”I was actually expecting dew to play a major role,” he said later. “The ball was wet, but for some strange reason, the ball was still holding on the wicket. Usually it slides on, but I was surprised by the amount of purchase I was getting. So I tried to go into the wicket and mix my pace, and go slower through the air.”Related

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Sai Kishore hadn’t featured for Titans all of last season due to team-combination considerations. Even his five appearances prior to that, in 2022, had been staggered. He needed to conjure something special to keep Titans alive, and he did, by simply pulling his length back a touch, and getting the ball to dip.Rohit fell over attempting a sweep and was trapped plumb in front. Sai Kishore had brought the game back on an even keel. His figures of 1 for 24 played a key part in Mumbai’s slowdown, particularly in the second half of their chase, where Titans varied their lengths and bowled into the pitch to deny the batters.”Because the wicket was two-paced, we tried to go into the wicket a lot more, trust our length a lot more than directly going for yorkers,” Sai Kishore said. “That resulted in getting a lot of wickets. It was attacking bowling even if the situation was otherwise.”At Titans, Sai Kishore has had to adapt to being the second spinner to Rashid Khan. In the TNPL or for Tamil Nadu, he’s used as a trump card in the Powerplay. This change of role can be tough, but for someone longing for opportunities, it was the opening he needed.”In the other teams where play I usually do the lead role. To do the second role makes it even more exciting,” Sai Kishore said. “Most people are going to play off Rashid and come after me. That makes the challenge more exciting.”That sync [with Rashid] is there, we discuss the game very well. One of the strengths of this team is everyone sticks together. Jayant [Yadav, the offspinner] also used to come in [as a reserve player] and say ‘do this, do that, it’s going good.’ The communication is always there, which is superb.”Sai Kishore picked up the all-important wicket of Rohit Sharma•BCCI

Sai Kishore felt Titans were at least 10 short of where they’d hoped to be with the bat. The plan all along was to remain in the game for as long as they could and then seize key moments, like they did in the death overs with Mohit Sharma and Rashid building on Sai Kishore’s work.”We felt we were 10 short, but the thing about this whole team and how it has been run over the last two years is we give a lot of emphasis to competing. Whether we win or lose, we’re proud of the way we play. We competed really well. That was the talk given by [head coach] Ashish Nehra as well.”All credit to the culture he has set up over the last two years. People are not thinking about the result [alone], they’re focusing about competing and staying in the game.”Sai Kishore is coming off a sensational Ranji Trophy season, which he finished as the highest wicket-taker. He left his imprint as a captain too, backing young players who thrived because of role clarity.At Titans, Sai Kishore is relishing any opportunity he gets to play, prepared to do the tough job without fearing the consequences. “When you bowl four overs on the trot, it’s like a one-day game, you can be in rhythm a lot easier.”With the Impact Player rule, we’re playing six bowlers. I’m getting the role where I’m bowling four overs on the trot in the middle. I’m open to bowling one-over spells. In [the Syed] Mushtaq Ali [Trophy] or TNPL, that’s how I use my overs but with the quality of bowlers we have, am getting to bowl four overs which I’m enjoying.”

During the chase, 16-year-old debutant Aayan Khan gave them a scare but the visitors held their nerve

Mohammad Isam25-Sep-2022Afif Hossain and Mehidy Hasan Miraz led Bangladesh out of trouble an occasion each as they beat UAE by seven runs in the first T20I in Dubai. In front of a sparse crowd mostly made up of expat Bangladeshis, the visitors picked up their first T20I win in the country.After being put in, Bangladesh recovered from 47 for 4, then withstood Chirag Suri’s fiery start with the bat, before 16-year-old debutant Aayan Khan gave them a final scare in the last three overs of the 159-run chase.Afif top-scored with an unbeaten 77 while Miraz took three wickets and two superb catches, one of his own bowling, before Shoriful Islam’s two wickets in the last over sealed the game for Bangladesh.Opening woes continue for Bangladesh
Sabbir Rahman and Miraz walking out to open the innings for Bangladesh laid to rest all the speculation about the opening pair since their curtailed training camp in Dhaka a couple of weeks ago.Their stand, however, lasted just nine balls when Sabbir struck Sabir Ali down to Basil Hameed at deep square leg. Miraz also didn’t look too comfortable, falling for 12 off 14 balls with two fours, top-edging one back to the fast bowler Zawar Farid in the fifth over.In between, the returning Litton Das also fell for 13, although he did start with a lot of intent, hitting three boundaries.Meiyappan’s double-strike
Bangladesh got into further trouble when legspinner Karthik Meiyappan removed Yasir Ali with his first ball. The delivery held its line, sending the visitors into a tail-spin at 47 for 4 in the eighth over. Meiyappan has been a revelation since his debut last year, having now taken 16 wickets in ten T20Is. When he lured Mosaddek Hossain out of the crease, and had him stumped for three, it looked like UAE were on the ascendancy.Afif to the rescue, again
Afif, though, stood firm amid a flurry of wickets. He has already been Bangladesh’s leading run-scorer in T20Is this year, so there was a bit of consistency expected of him. He dominated the 30-run stand for the fifth wicket with Mosaddek, before adding 81 in an unbroken stand with captain Nurul Hasan.Luck was also on Afif’s side. He was dropped at deep square leg twice, on 2 and 63. But he struck the ball well through the leg side, regularly hitting it behind square, which seems to be one of his favoured areas this year. He missed a few scoops and ramps, and the straighter bat shots yielded more runs. He finished with three sixes and seven fours – Bangladesh will be happy that they have at one batter who is showing good form.Suri lights up UAE’s chase
Suri started with a boundary spree but Bangladesh had a lucky break in the middle. In the fifth over, a shot from Suri brushed bowler Shoriful’s fingers on its way to the stumps at the non-striker’s end to find Muhammad Waseem out of his crease. Waseem had struck a four and a six in his run-a-ball 15, but the home side needed a harder push.Suri then struck the ball brilliantly against Mustafizur Rahman in the last over of the powerplay. He timed the ball behind square on the off side for two fours before adding a third with a swivelled pull when Mustafizur came around the wicket. The 14-run over took UAE to 43 for 1 after six overs.Miraz comes to the party
The chasing, however, fell flat when Miraz got into the act. He had Suri stumped in the eighth over for 39 off 24 balls. In his next over, he had the dangerous Aryan Lakra for 19.After that, it was the turn of Miraz the fielder. UAE captain CP Rizwan tried to crack Mustafizur through point, but Miraz dived to his left to complete an excellent catch. Shoriful then removed Basil Hameed, before Miraz took his second brilliant catch of the game. Off his own bowling, he dived full length, once again to his left, to intercept Vriitya Aravind’s leading edge.Aayan’s near miss
Afif ran out Farid with a direct hit from deep before Mustafizur bowled Meiyappan in the 17th over. At that point, UAE required 35 from three overs with just two wickets in hand. It looked like the game was all but over before young Aayan struck three fours in the next two overs. He and Junaid Siddique took 14 and 10 off the 18th and 19th over respectively, which also featured Mosaddek dropping a sitter in the deep. Mohammad Saifuddin dropped an even easier chance at cover, but both fielders redeemed themselves by taking a catch each to complete the win.

The tournament will be played in Abu Dhabi, despite speculation in recent days that it was going to to be moved to Sharjah

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Jun-2021The sixth season of the PSL will resume from June 9, with a final set for June 24. The tournament will after all be played in Abu Dhabi, despite speculation in recent days that it was going to be moved to Sharjah. The compressed schedule means there will be as many as six double-headers, with the early games starting at 5pm Abu Dhabi time, and the evening matches at 10pm local time. Single matches will start at 8pm.The remaining league games will be played from June 9 to 19, the Qualifier and first Eliminator on June 21, the second Eliminator on June 22 and the final on June 24.*The fate of the tournament had been hanging in the balance for the last two weeks with several challenges around logistical arrangements and more crucially pending approvals from Abu Dhabi government. One of the main roadblocks was getting the necessary exemptions for the production crew from India and South Africa to land in the UAE. The delay in their visas and then clearances for chartered flights caused a delay as they are meant to undergo 10 days in quarantine on arrival.The seven-day isolation period for players and staff who arrived in the UAE via chartered flights from Pakistan ended on June 2 but a delay in the arrival of the production crew forced the PCB to rejig the schedule. The tournament was earlier meant to start not later than June 5 and they had considered Sharjah as an alternative where the quarantine rules are not as strict as in Abu Dhabi.Related

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“Since its inception in 2016, the HBL PSL has embraced and overcome numerous challenges, only to emerge as a stronger and competitive league year-on-year,” Wasim Khan, the PCB chief executive, said in a statement.”The enhancement and credibility of the brand remains critical to the PCB and I am pleased that we have continued to take decisive actions in the face of ongoing pressures and major challenges outside of our control over the last 10 days. Everyone has worked tirelessly to find solutions and way forward, and I am delighted that we are now in a position to announce the complete schedule.The schedule for the PSL’s resumption in 2021•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“There was a consensus between the PCB and the franchises that it was imperative to complete the remaining matches in 2021 so that we have a clean 2022 [for the next season]. Now, after overcoming all obstacles through due diligence and careful planning, I believe we have collectively achieved the desired objective that was set in March following the postponement.The PCB has had lengthy negotiations with the Abu Dhabi government to stage the tournament in the emirate, and got clearances too recently, but the resumption has not been as smooth as it was expected. Over the last 15 days, the PCB even came close to postponing the event further, but the board has now managed to put most of the pieces together and finalise on June 9 as the resumption date.One of the biggest challenges was to wrap up the league before June 22 as the Pakistan squad was set to fly to England on June 23 which was later changed to June 25 after the ECB agreed to delay the start of the bilateral tour to accommodate the PSL. But there will be no change in the dates of the matches with the first game of the tour, an ODI in Cardiff, set to be played on July 8.The squad will land in Manchester from where they will be transported to Derby for the mandatory 10-day isolation period and training session. They will then move to Cardiff on two days before the first ODI.”We are grateful and thankful for the support and backing we have received from the UAE and Pakistan governments. I would like to thank the England & Wales Cricket Board for their flexibility, the Emirates Cricket Board, Abu Dhabi Sports Council, as well as all the franchise owners for backing our approach and supporting our decision-making.”Overall, over 300 personnel – both from Pakistan and overseas – are in Abu Dhabi and a majority of them (other than the ones from India and South Africa) have already completed their quarantine. Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars completed their quarantine and started training on Wednesday, while the other four sides will start training from today. Players and player support personnel, who have completed the mandatory seven-day room isolation and returned three negative tests, are allowed to integrate with their sides and participate in training sessions.The PCB had arranged chartered flights for arriving in the UAE but those who were left behind due to visa glitches were made to fly through commercial flights, including Quetta Gladiators’ Sarfaraz Ahmed, who, along with a few other individuals, was not allowed to board a commercial flight from Lahore and Karachi to Abu Dhabi via Doha on last Sunday. They flew a day later to take a different route via Bahrain. There are still over seven personnel, including players and support staff, waiting fo their visas.*1230 GMT: The story was updated after the PCB announced the fixtures on Thursday

Senior batsman says South Africa must “find a combination and stick with it” as new World Cup cycle begins

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Feb-2020Quinton de Kock will bring calmness and “a great understanding of the game” to the role of South Africa ODI captain, according to team-mate David Miller. De Kock will take charge during the upcoming series against England, and has been tipped as the long-term successor to Faf du Plessis.South Africa’s players have convened this weekend to prepare for the three ODIs, starting in Cape Town on Tuesday. Five members of the 14-man squad are uncapped, with regular captain du Plessis and senior quick Kagiso Rabada rested, but Miller said he expected de Kock to set a positive example for the rest to follow.”Quinny and I have come a long way. I’d never met him before playing for South Africa, and our relationship has got stronger and stronger,” Miller said.”As everyone knows, Quinny is Quinny. He’s an unbelievable performer, thinks about things very simply, but at the same time, I genuinely think as he’s got older – he’s 27 now, he’s not a young whipper-snapper, he’s actually a mature, proper senior player, and I really feel he’s got a great feel on the ground, during the game he’s got a great understanding of the game. There’s a calmness to him that comes with that. He oozes enjoying the game and I think that’s a great asset that he has.”At 30, Miller is one of the oldest players in the group – and the most experienced, having played 126 ODIs. He has just returned from a stint in the Big Bash League with Hobart Hurricanes, and said he was keen to get involved after the revamp of South Africa’s coaching structure, which now features several faces that Miller played alongside at the start of his international career.”It’s very exciting,” he said. “I saw the squad come out and it was not the normal squad that everyone’s used to seeing. It’s refreshing, seeing it from Australia, and thinking it’s a new start. Teams go up and down … I personally don’t enjoy the fact we’re just building for something. At the end of the day, international cricket you need to perform, regardless of going through youngsters, and so on. Guys need to come in and learn as quick as possible.”I mentioned it before, when we played the T20s in India, we’re here to win. We’re not here to see how things go. It’s an exciting time to be in South African cricket, there’s a lot going on, but the guys have got a lot of energy, they’re willing to learn, and having the management we do, that have played a lot of cricket, it’s a good combination.”In keeping with South Africa’s disappointing 2019 World Cup, Miller had a middling run in England last year, batting four times and making scores of 38, 31, 36 and 31. However, as a senior batsman who made his ODI debut a decade ago, he is keen to carve out a central role for himself in the run up to the 2023 tournament in India.”The first World Cup [in 2015], for me, I came into a side where there were experienced senior players, and I felt like I was there and I had to do my job, fitting into the experienced players; and the last World Cup was much of the same. This build to the next World Cup is a different one for me, in the sense that there’s new players. It’s just a fresh crop. So it’s a very different experience compared to the last seven-eight years.”That’s why I’m really excited. We have to take responsibility for our performances but it’s about winning now, as well as building, about trying to find the best combination as early as possible and sticking with that.”England, too, have an experimental look about them, with World Cup winners such as Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler rested ahead of the T20Is – which have assumed greater importance in a T20 World Cup year – and Miller said South Africa would be out to cause an upset.”We are playing the world champions at the end of the day,” he said. “But cricket is cricket and everyone’s beatable. If we come with the right approach and mindset, and we nail down what we need to do – which is take wickets and score runs – I think it’s going to be a really good competition.”