‘Winning Home World Cup Will Be Special’: David Miller on finishing career on a high

David Miller, a cricket veteran of over 300 international white-ball matches, is closing in on the end of his career. But before he decides to hang up his boots, Miller wants to realise his dream of winning an ODI World Cup, scheduled for late 2027 in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe. Despite representing the Proteas at the top level for over a decade now, Miller has yet to lift an ICC trophy—as a white-ball specialist, he was not part of South Africa’s 2025 World Test Championship-winning side.

Already 37, Miller wants to finish his celebrated cricket career on a high, and there would be no better way than winning a home ODI World Cup in 2027.

“I am really looking forward to it (the ODI WC),” Miller said in a chat with JioStar.

“For me, it’s a goal that I want to achieve. I would love to finish off late in my career with a trophy. So, for me, it’s a goal that I would love to be a part of that World Cup team. It’s something that is never guaranteed, and I’ll definitely, from now until then, be focused on aiming to make that team and to contribute the best I can. Obviously, it will be very special, being at home in front of our fans, and in a place that I’ve played for so many years. So, it would be fantastic to be a part of that team,” he continued.

Miller’s experience and power-hitting ability at the death could come in handy for the tournament’s co-hosts, who, with the squad and talent at their disposal, will enter the World Cup as the favourites.

‘Favourite IPL Moments’

Reflecting on his favourite IPL knock, Miller, unsurprisingly, picked his match-winning innings against RCB during the 2013 edition of the IPL, when he represented the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).

Chasing 191, the KXIP were reduced to four for 64 at one stage; Miller completed his maiden T20 and IPL hundred as KXIP sealed the chase with six wickets and 12 balls to spare.

“I think the 101 that I scored against RCB, the fact that it was a chase, chasing down a score and scoring a hundred, my first hundred in the IPL, my first T20 hundred, was a knock that felt the most rewarding. I think there was a lot at stake there, and it kind of set my career up if I look back at it now. Then there was another knock that I’ll always remember as well, the one in Durban against Australia. We chased down a score there as well, and I scored a hundred, 118 not out or something. So, those two knocks under pressure, scoring hundreds, they’ll always kind of stand out,” he continued.

Meanwhile, upon being asked about his favourite moment in the league, Miller picked winning his maiden IPL title with the then-tournament debutants, Gujarat Titans, in the 2022 season.

“My favourite moment in the IPL…there have been many, but we obviously play to win, so definitely winning the IPL for Gujarat Titans would be that," he continued.