“If it’s in the arc it’ll go out the park. If it’s in the V it’ll go in the tree.” This was the famous philosophy of the man known as the ‘Killer’ when he was in the peak of his form.

It was 2013, the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League. The team on the receiving end? None other than Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore. The venue? None other than the Kings’ iconic home ground, Mohali.

Chasing a tough 191 runs to win against an attack comprising Ravi Rampaul, RP Singh and Moises Henriques, David Miller came in when the team had lost 3 wickets for just 51 runs. The Royal Challengers thought they had the game in the bag when the scoreboard read 64 for 4, but little did they know that the Killer was on the loose, with Rajagopal Sathish keeping it sane at the other end.

"Sathish and I decided to get in and then explode," Miller explained his strategy.

Photo credit: BCCI

Miller belted the ball to all parts of the park, leaving the Bengaluru bowlers wondering if there is anything that can stop the big hitter. He skied one to Kohli off Vinay Kumar’s bowling in the 14th over but was dropped. There was no stopping him after that as he tore into the bowling.

He pummelled RP Singh for two sixes and three fours in the next over - milking 26 runs off him - and asserted his dominance. He scored his fifty off just 24 balls with an effortless six and brought up a 100-run partnership with Sathish, who remained unbeaten on 27 at the end, in just 42 balls.

Then Chris Gayle, who had earlier punched 61 runs off just 33 balls and pretty much set the tone of the match, was brought into bowl in the 18th over. That sealed it as 22 runs came off it, with both the victory and Miller’s century signed off with a massive six down the ground.

A mammoth 82 runs were scored in the last four overs with Miller taking just 38 balls for his ton, still the third fastest in the IPL. In the last 20 deliveries he faced, he produced 74 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 370.

"One of the best innings anyone has ever seen in the IPL," RCB skipper Kohli summed up after the match. "It was an incredible innings"

Killer Miller had taken another victim.

 

After the game with @realpreityzinta. #KXIP #punjabi #IPL6

A post shared by Dave Miller (@davidmillersa12) on

Match Summary

51st match (N), Indian Premier League at Chandigarh, May 6, 2013

Royal Challengers Bangalore 190 for 3 (M.S. Gony 2-41) lost to

Kings XI Punjab 194 for 4 (David Miller 101*)