'Nervous' David Miller on IPL heroics: 'I tried to smack the ball as hard as I could'

• Proteas and Gujarat Titans batter David Miller admitted to being impatient in their Indian Premier League game against the Rajasthan Royals.
• Miller made an unbeaten 68 as the Titans qualified for Sunday's final in Ahmedabad.
• The Royals will have a second bite at the final cherry when they play the winner of Wednesday's eliminator between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Lucknow Super Giants.

Gujarat Titans and Proteas batter David Miller admitted to being impatient at the back end of their chase against the Rajasthan Royals in their successful Indian Premier League qualifier in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Miller made an unbeaten 68 off 38 balls as his 106-run stand with all-rounder Hardik Pandya guided the Titans home by seven wickets with three balls to spare.

The win allowed the Titans, who topped the IPL log at the end of the round-robin phase, to qualify directly for Sunday's final in Ahmedabad.

Miller said Pandya's level-headed batting allowed him to focus clearly on the chase without being too bogged down.

"I tried to smack the ball as hard as I could in the last three to four overs," Miller told teammate Shubman Gill in an impromptu post-match interview.

"I eventually came round in the last over, but Hardik was very cool and collected. He was chilled about the chase."

Miller also credited Pandya, who hasn't played a lot of cricket recently because of an assortment of injuries, for the role he played in the chase.

"I was very nervous, but Hardik kept saying that we must play some very good cricket shots and keep finding the gaps," Miller said.

"It was a quick outfield, so finding the gaps was probably the best call while playing good cricket shots."

Miller has been in the IPL for more than a decade, but only really started to show why the various teams have invested in his ability.

Miller's innings allowed the Titans some rest time as the Royals will play the winner of Wednesday's eliminator between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Miller played for the Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals without much success.

"It's unbelievable. I've been in the IPL for 12 years, but it's the second time I've reached the final," Miller said.

"It doesn't come around too many times, but it's special to be in the final. To take the boys over the line was very cool, but it's been a very good team performance."