David Miller is 37. But he did not seem so when he played his first match of the Nepal Premier League for Karnali Yaks in front of a packed TU International Cricket Stadium on Friday. After all, he is fresh out of the Delhi Capitals’ 2026 Indian Premier League season, where he played 11 matches and scored 211 runs.

All the spectators on Friday were not there for Miller, an IPL winner with Gujarat Titans in 2022, though. Thousands had come for Sudurpaschim Royals, the team with the biggest and loudest supporters in the NPL. And the fans got to enjoy both—win for the Royals and a show of top-class cricket by Miller. For the Yaks fans, the loss did not hurt much as they got to see their saviour for the upcoming fixtures in Miller.

“We have three more matches and we will come back stronger,” Karnali skipper Sompal Kami said during the post-match presentation. “We need a change in attitude and be on the winning side.”

And that attitude will definitely change in the Yaks’ squad after seeing the Miller show. That’s what at least the Karnali pacer Nandan Yadav believes firmly.

“He [Miller] taught us how we should bat on this wicket. Many things to learn for the bowlers as well,” Yadav said in the post-match press conference. Yadav, who had asked to be questioned only in Nepali, added one statement in English, “Next time some Nepali player is going to play like Miller.”

Karnali, who were chasing 177 runs against Sudurpaschim, lost by 39 runs. The defeat margin would have been far more tormenting had Miller not been there for the Yaks.

Miller landed in Kathmandu on Wednesday in the morning and took part in a panel discussion co-sponsored by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) alongside an alcoholic beverages-sponsored event in the evening. He was at the TU Ground for the first time on Friday. 

And he definitely enjoyed it.

“It was a slow wicket and in such conditions it is about getting in good position and committing to the shots,” Miller said in the post-match presentation. “Had fun in the end.”

Despite Karnali losing the match, Miller was adjudged the player of the match. The reason: 93 off 55.

For a power hitter finisher, it is not easy to start an innings with the bat slowly. But Miller is someone who respects the conditions, adapts and then starts going big. It is what happened on Friday too.

Miller came in at four, contrary to how he comes a bit more down the order in the recent years. 

“I used to come at four early in my career and played down [in the later years],” Miller said. “The management said [to enter at four] and I said okay.”

When Miller entered the ground in the third ball of the fourth over, Karnali were 22/2. And Miller decided to understand the wicket better. It seemed as if shadow batting practice after the end of the first innings was not enough. And he only played safe strokes in the first two balls by Hemant Dhami, and then hit the other for a four. 

However, he could not continue with the same pace as wickets kept falling on the other end—Deepak Dumre after hitting (18 off 12), Pawan Sarraf (5 off 13), Hussain Talat (1 off 4), Sompal Kami (8 off 17) and Gulshan Kumar Jha (3 off 5).

“We will take advantage of the new ball when it is hard and score big in powerplay,” Miller said after the end of the first innings. But neither Miller nor any other Karnali batters could make it possible. Karnali were 35/3 by the end of the first powerplay.

Miller had to play safe. He also got lucky in the second ball of the eleventh over when Saif Zaib could not reach the ball on time and attempted a possible catch.

Miller, playing safely, did not smash any boundary for nine overs—after consecutive fours to Dhami in the sixth. Fans had to wait for the 15th over, where Miller welcomed Tharindu Rathnayake with a four. After that Miller hit only one more four, but compensated with seven sixes, including four in the last over alone.

Miller had completed his fifty, which was the 75th NPL fifty, on debut in 38 balls. He scored 43 more runs in only 17 balls.

When he was not scoring with boundaries, Miller was stealing runs at instances where youngsters would not dare. Miller, who dropped Ishan Pandey in the 16th in a sitter, took a diving catch to dismiss him in the 17th. 

In the fourth ball of the 18th over, Miller made a more dashing catch of Rathnayake—showing off the fielding abilities of the Proteas. But it was called no ball after an intervention from the third umpire. 

The no ball decision was something Miller was not happy with. After the no ball decision, Miller could be seen describing to the on-field umpire that the batter had bent his legs and the ball was not over the waist height. Miller was reiterating it even after the end of the first innings.

As Miller himself said that it was fun for him at the end of the second innings, it was the same for the fans. When the teams shook hands and were heading to the pavilion, Miller stood still and looked towards the TU-side grandstands with a sad face. In turn, he was applauded for his blistering knock by the fans. 

“We have been watching Miller since childhood. And we have him playing alongside now,” Yadav said. “But despite being a global star, he is down to earth. He has kept the door to his hotel room open and has said that anyone can walk up at any time for a talk on cricket.”

Miller, who has 12,000+ runs in 584 T20s all around the world, has also already fallen in love with Nepali talent. He said so in the event on Wednesday as well as on Friday. “I am keen to learn something new and to help the local players too,” he said.

“I train very hard on my body, sprint and agility,” Miller said when asked about his fitness. “Also, playing so much cricket gives you the experience to anticipate, which helps out a lot in fielding.” 

Karnali will play Pokhara Avengers, Lumbini Lions, and Chitwan Rhinos on November 9, 12 and 15, respectively. These three matches will be essential for Karnali, who are close to a spot in the top four, and Miller, who has scored 7,500+ runs for South Africa in 180 ODIs and 140 T20Is, will be the key.