David Miller etched his name in the history books with a blistering century, breaking Virender Sehwag’s 23-year-old record for the fastest hundred in Champions Trophy history. Despite his heroic efforts, Miller’s century went in vain as South Africa fell short in their high-stakes semi-final clash against New Zealand.
Facing a daunting 363-run target in the second semi-final at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Miller waged a lone battle as wickets kept falling around him. With the required run rate climbing, the South African southpaw showcased his batting brilliance, keeping his team’s hopes alive until the very end. On the final ball of the chase, Miller sprinted for a double, reaching his unbeaten century in just 67 balls and surpassing Sehwag’s long-standing record.
Sehwag had set the previous fastest century mark in the 2002 Champions Trophy, taking 77 balls to reach his hundred against England in Colombo. Miller’s phenomenal innings rewrote that record, highlighting his reputation as one of the most explosive batters in modern cricket.
This latest century continued Miller’s impressive form in ICC ODI knockout matches. In his last four knockout appearances, he has notched up two centuries and a half-century. His stellar record includes an unbeaten 56 off 51 balls against England in the 2013 Champions Trophy semi-final and a breathtaking 49 off just 18 deliveries against New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup semi-final. More recently, he struck a memorable 101 from 116 balls against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
New Zealand set the tone in the semi-final after winning the toss and opting to bat first. Kane Williamson (102) and Rachin Ravindra (108) capitalized on Lahore’s favorable pitch conditions, propelling the Kiwis to a commanding total of 362/6 — the highest ever in Champions Trophy history. Late fireworks from Glenn Phillips (49*) and Daryl Mitchell (49) only added to South Africa’s mounting challenge.
In response, South Africa’s batting lineup struggled under the pressure of the mammoth chase. Miller’s lone resistance wasn’t enough as the team ultimately fell 50 runs short, ending their hopes of securing the coveted title.
Interestingly, Miller’s record-breaking knock also came shortly after Australia’s Josh Inglis had equaled Sehwag’s mark earlier in the tournament with his quickfire century against England in the group stage, also in Lahore. However, it is now Miller who stands alone at the top of the leaderboard for the fastest century in Champions Trophy history.
