No clarity on 'Killer' Miller's availability for Proteas' crunch Netherlands meeting

While the phlegmatic Temba Bavuma will never be an alarmist, the Proteas skipper didn't exactly categorically state that David Miller will be available for their final ICC T20 World Cup group game against Netherlands in Adelaide on Sunday.

South Africa's batting dynamo was kept on the sidelines for Thursday's meeting with Pakistan owing to a "lower back muscle spasm" and was sorely missed as the national side slumped to a defeat by 33 runs.

Given the context of a rain-reduced target that put immense pressure on the middle order, it's a moot question whether Miller might've made an impact with the bat, but his outstanding standards in the field were sorely missed.

Asked in the aftermath about his absence, Bavuma provided little clarity.   

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"I do believe it was precautionary. I'm not a representative of the medical team, but we have a game on Sunday against the Netherlands, and hopefully, David will be fit and ready for that game," he said.

"But in terms of this game, I understand that he wasn't physically fit and sat out as a precaution."

The prognosis compounded the Proteas' first setback of the tournament in terms of results.

South Africa have now lost their status as the only remaining unbeaten team in this year's tournament and need to beat the cheery Europeans to qualify for the last four.

Not that Bavuma is framing it as a major headache. 

"I wouldn't say it's a concern, it's a bit of a wake-up call. I thought we were superb in the first 10 overs, we put them under pressure, but after that, the wheels came off. Conditions changed a little bit with the ball skidding on," he said.

"In terms of our awareness and adapting to that, we took