Adam Zampa’s form is vital for Australia in this World Cup, where teams will encounter pitches favoring spinners. For instance, Afghanistan’s trio of spinners, including Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi, dominated England at the Kotla. While spinners typically bowl in tandem, Adam Zampa is the solitary frontline spinner in the Australian lineup, with Glenn Maxwell providing support as a part-time off-spinner.
Zampa faced a tough start in the first two World Cup matches. Against India, he had disappointing figures of 8-0-53-0, and against South Africa, he managed 10-0-70-1 in a match that Australia lost rather convincingly. However, in their game against Sri Lanka at the Ekana Stadium, Zampa’s fortunes took a turn for the better.
Initially, the Sri Lankan openers were cruising, and it appeared Zampa was in for another difficult day. However, after captain Pat Cummins removed the openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera, the stage was set for Zampa to make an impact.
He regained his line and length and started taking wickets. His four-wicket haul not only helped Australia win the match but also earned him the man of the match award. Despite carrying a niggle into the match, he eventually found his groove.
Regarding his injury, Zampa explained, “Yes, it was a bit of a random injury to be honest. I had a back spasm a couple of nights ago, and I’ve been struggling for the last couple of days. I had to undergo a fitness test before the match against Sri Lanka. I relied on adrenaline to get me through and took a painkiller, Panadeine Forte. It was tough, but I think it’s one of those random injuries that will wear off in the next day or so.”
Reflecting on his match-winning performance, Zampa mentioned, “It took me longer than I would have liked to get into the game today. I was unable to build pressure while bowling to set batters. I won’t make excuses, as I should be good enough to play that role. It took me a while to find my rhythm, but once I got a couple of wickets, the team’s energy changed, and we needed that boost.”
