David Miller celebrates after bringing up his record-breaking century

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

David Miller made history on Sunday as he smashed the fastest century in Twenty20 Internationals to lead South Africa to an 83-run win over Bangladesh in Potchefstroom.

Miller needed just 35 balls to reach the triple-figure mark and eclipsed the previous record, which belonged to his compatriot Richard Levi, who took 45 balls to score a hundred back in February 2012. It was also the joint third-fastest century in all Twenty20 matches.

Being put in to bat first, the Proteas lost opener Mangaliso Mosehle and stand-in captain JP Duminy early on as they were both clean bowled by Shakib Al Hasan for five and four runs respectively.

AB de Villiers made a quickfire 20 before he was dismissed by Mohammad Saifuddin.

Miller and Hashim Amla took over from that point as they amassed a 79-run partnership, during which Amla sailed past his fifty.

Hashim Amla scored his eighth fifty in the shortest format

Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo

However, just as Amla looked on track to convert his half-century into a hundred, he was caught by Soumya Sarkar off the bowling of Saifuddin for 85, which came off 51 balls and included 11 boundaries and a six.

Despite the loss of Amla, Miller continued to take the attack to Bangladesh and dominated the unbeaten 67-run stand he put together with Farhaan Behardien.

Miller ended up making a career-best 101, which came off 36 deliveries and included seven boundaries and nine sixes, while Behardien remained undefeated on six.

Thanks to Miller and Amla, South Africa finished on 224/4 off their 20 overs. This proved to be a historical total as it was the most runs conceded by Bangladesh in a Twenty20 International.

Shakib and Saifuddin picked up two wickets apiece.

Chasing 225 to win, Bangladesh got off to a brisk start before opener Imrul Kayes was run out by Miller for six runs.

Shakib, captain Mushfiqur Rahim and Sabbir Rahman fared no better as the first two were sent packing for two runs, while Sabbir was dismissed for five runs.

Sarkar, who had looked to be a major threat up to this point, hammered a 27-ball 44, which included six boundaries and a six, before he was taken out by Aaron Phangiso.

Even though Mahmudullah and Saifuddin made 24 and 23 runs respectively, it was not enough to save Bangladesh as they lost wickets at regular intervals and ended up being bowled out for 141.

Duminy and Phangiso took two wickets apiece, while Beuran Hendricks, Robbie Frylinck, Dwaine Pretorius and Andile Phehlukwayo claimed one wicket each.

Miller was named Man of the Match and Man of the Series, and said: “It was pretty special, you don’t think when you wake up in the morning that something like this is going to happen. I was scratchy to be honest when I started and when I hit one or two, I decided to keep going because it doesn’t come too often.

“The middle order didn’t get much of a bat in the one-dayers so it was a good chance today. When I got to the fourth six I thought about it (six sixes in an over), and looking back I think I could have got six out of six. I told Saifuddin after my innings maybe he got unlucky, he tried well and we could have a drink after the match.”