T20 World Cup
South Africa’s experienced batter David Miller has been medically cleared to feature in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7 in India and Sri Lanka. Miller successfully passed a fitness test earlier this week after recovering from an adductor muscle strain he sustained while playing for Paarl Royals in the recently concluded SA20 league.
The left-hander will rejoin the Proteas squad on Sunday when the team departs for Mumbai from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Cricket South Africa confirmed the update through its official social media handle, stating that Miller is fully fit after completing his rehabilitation and fitness assessment following the injury picked up during the Betway SA20.
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Miller had been rested for the ongoing T20 International series against the West Indies as part of his recovery process, but is now available for selection and set to play his sixth T20 World Cup for South Africa. During SA20 season four, he scored 196 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 148.48, registering one half-century with a highest score of 71 not out.
The 36-year-old remains one of South Africa’s most reliable performers in the shortest format. He is the second-highest run-scorer for the Proteas in T20 Internationals, with 2,630 runs in 133 matches and 117 innings at an average of 32.87 and a strike rate exceeding 140. His T20I record includes two centuries and eight half-centuries, with a best score of 106 not out.
Alongside Quinton de Kock, Miller is among the most experienced batters in South Africa’s T20I squad. He is expected to bat at number five during the tournament, following the top-order combination of de Kock, Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton and Dewald Brevis, and is likely to play the role of a finisher. The other specialist batters in the squad include Jason Smith and Tristan Stubbs.
With a white-ball only contract with Cricket South Africa, the upcoming tournament could potentially be Miller’s final T20 World Cup appearance, as he has his sights set on the 2027 ODI World Cup on home soil as a possible farewell. He was instrumental in South Africa’s run to the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, where his innings nearly guided the team to their maiden title before a crucial catch in the final over ended their hopes.
In T20 World Cup history, Miller has scored 423 runs in 27 matches for South Africa, batting in 22 innings at an average of 30.21 and a strike rate of over 118, including two half-centuries.
South Africa will begin their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Canada on February 9 in Group D. They are also scheduled to face Afghanistan on February 11 in Ahmedabad, New Zealand on February 14 in Ahmedabad, and the UAE on February 18 in Delhi.
The South Africa squad for the tournament includes Aiden Markram (captain), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Marco Jansen, George Linde, Keshav Maharaj, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Jason Smith and Tristan Stubbs.
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