David Miller Breaks Virender Sehwag’s 23-Year-Old Record with Fastest Century in Champions Trophy

David Miller may not have been able to take South Africa to victory in their ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against New Zealand, but he left his mark on the tournament by smashing a record that had stood for over two decades. The South African batter broke Indian legend Virender Sehwag’s 23-year-old record for the fastest century in Champions Trophy history, reaching the milestone in just 67 balls.

Miller’s fighting knock came in a high-pressure chase of 363 runs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. As wickets kept falling around him, he stood firm, showcasing his batting brilliance despite the mounting run rate. On the final ball of the innings, he sprinted for a double to complete his century, remaining unbeaten while surpassing Sehwag’s previous record of a 77-ball hundred against England in the 2002 edition of the tournament in Colombo.

This latest century continues Miller’s impressive record in ICC ODI knockout matches. In his last four such appearances, he has registered two centuries and a fifty. He scored an unbeaten 56 off 51 balls in the 2013 Champions Trophy semi-final against England, followed by a fiery 49 off just 18 balls against New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup semi-final. His 101 off 116 balls against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final at Eden Gardens remains one of his most memorable innings.

Miller’s knock in Lahore, however, could not save South Africa from another heartbreaking loss. New Zealand, after electing to bat first, posted a mammoth 362/6, the highest total in Champions Trophy history. Captain Kane Williamson (102) and Rachin Ravindra (108) anchored the innings, while Glenn Phillips (49*) and Daryl Mitchell (49) added quick runs in the final overs.

Chasing the daunting total, South Africa struggled under the scoreboard pressure. Despite Miller’s valiant effort, the required run rate kept climbing, and the Proteas eventually fell short by 50 runs, once again exiting a major ICC tournament in the knockout stage.

Miller’s record-breaking innings was the second instance of a batter reaching a Champions Trophy hundred in 67 balls in this edition. Earlier in the tournament, Australia’s Josh Inglis had equaled Sehwag’s record with a blistering century against England in the group stage in Lahore.