Red wine matures with age, says Miller

Dhaka, 25 Feb-Emboldened by the inclusion of the South African hard-hitter David Miller, popularly known as 'Killer Miller', Fortune Barishal are upbeat to keep the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) final hope alive.

However, they would have to overcome the threat of Chattogram Challengers first, if they want to make it final. The two teams will meet in the Eliminator game tomorrow (Monday) at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, a game that will decide which team will be able to give it a shot to the final. The match starts at 1.30 PM. 

The team which will taste a defeat in the match will be eliminated straightway. The winner however will play the Qualifier-2, a game that is considered as virtual semifinal, against a team which will loss the Qualifier-1 game. Rangpur Riders and Comilla Victorians will play the Qualifier-1 game for a direct spot in the final. 

Miller however became household name in Bangladesh when he hit Bangladesh pacer Mohammad Saifuddin for five straight sixes on the way to his 35 ball-century, which is still joint-fastest century in T20 International cricket's history.

But before that brutal knock in 2017, Miller played BPL in 2013 for Chittagong Kings. He was then a player who was trying to make his mark in the International cricket. Now when he again came here to play BPL, he already boasted several T20 records. 

If Barishal loss the Eliminator game, Miller's second BPL stint could be limited for one game just. But for a player, who came here at the fag end of the tournament, it is always tough to cope with.

Miller however kept belief on his experience.

"I don't know if anyone drinks here but there's a red wine that matures with age," he said here today.

"So I think as you get older, you make better decisions. You learn from your past. You never know the game completely so you are constantly learning. That's pretty much it."

"You find yourself in a lot of different situations in a T20. I stick to what works for me. Just finding out the conditions, the run-rate required and making sure I am comfortable before I get going. Sometimes I come to bat with three overs to go so I have to go straightaway."

He said what is important for him is to make sure that his mind is in good space. 

"There's a lot of demand on the body but I think mentally you have to know how your body ticks. What your body needs. I didn't want to train too hard today. Couple of throwdowns, just getting bat on ball, getting used to the conditions. I am getting to know the guys as well; I have just arrived this morning," he said. 

"I have been playing for 16 years. I know my game pretty well. It is just about making sure my mind is in a good space."