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Miller: We'll cope without Smith

Johannesburg - Proteas batsman David Miller believes the hosts have enough senior players to perform at their best without former skipper Graeme Smith, as they look to round off a successful summer season with a one-day international (ODI) series victory over Pakistan.

The South Africans face the tourists, with the series level at 2-2, in the fifth and final match in Benoni on Sunday.

Smith was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury.

"His record and personality stand for itself," said Miller, who made 67 runs in South Africa's three-wicket defeat in Durban on Thursday.

"He is a great role model for many of the players in the team and he has a great presence among the guys in the squad when he is around.

"In saying that, there are so many other senior guys in the team that can fill the spot and not having him for the last match is a big loss, but it will be great to see how some of the new faces perform."

Miller felt there was extra pressure because of the must-win nature of the match, but as the season winds down, he said the players were motivated to finish on a high.

"This is what we do and this is what we love," he said.

"It has obviously been a long season for most of the national players, but that is no excuse to pin that down as a reason.

"We have to win it and there is some pressure attached to that."

After winning the three-match Test series 3-0, and going down in a 1-0 defeat in the two-match T20 series, after the first game was abandoned, Miller said the Proteas were eager to secure victory in the ODI series.

"We are looking forward to it and it's a great opportunity for the players to put their hands up and to close it off.

"The guys are energetic and ready to go. We are positive about tomorrow.

"It has been a great series so far and hopefully we will finish on top."

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