DAVID MILLER bailed South Africa out of deep trouble against their bogey team the Netherlands in a four-wicket win on Long Island.
Miller’s unbeaten 59 off 51 balls, with four sixes and three boundaries, rescued South Africa from 12-4 in the fifth over.
This was after the Netherlands were restricted to 103-9.
Miller and Tristan Stubbs, with 33, saved the day in making 106-6 with seven balls remaining.
The Netherlands were going for a hat trick of wins against South Africa in World Cups, after winning their T20 in 2022 and one-day international in 2023.
Chasing a paltry 104 for victory, South Africa’s big T20 hitters failed.
Quinton de Kock was run out for a duck, and fellow opener Reeza Hendricks was bowled for three. Aiden Markram was caught behind playing down the leg side for a three-ball duck and Heinrich Klaasen holed out for four.
Dutch medium-pacer Vivian Kingma finished his four overs with 2-12.
Miller and Stubbs put on a cautious 65 off 72 balls on a challenging pitch.
Stubbs was caught in the 17th over and Marco Jansen was dismissed for a golden duck in the next over, and the situation tensed up again.
But Miller held his nerve and the Proteas earned their second win in two games in Group D.
Earlier, pacer Ottneil Baartman grabbed 4-11 in four overs as the Netherlands were cut down to 48-6 in 11.5 overs.
Sybrand Engelbrecht scored 40 off 45 balls to anchor the Dutch, and Logan Van Beek scored 23 to push the total past 100.