Veteran Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa has reflected on his journey so far in the ongoing ODI World Cup and also became the leading wicket-taker as well. He has played a key role in Australia’s turnaround, leading to the final against the hosts, India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. Notably, he didn’t have a great start but once he started to pick up some rhythm, there was no looking back. And, he already has the second-highest tally by a spinner in the World Cup and has an opportunity to go past legendary Muttiah Muralidaran’s record 23-wicket tally in the final as well.
Giving the credit to his stubbornness and resilience equally with his skill for his performances, Zampa told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Like if someone thinks I’m not up for it, or someone says something about me that I disagree with, I’ll do whatever I can to try and prove them wrong. Then there is the stubbornness in wanting my spot and wanting to win games for Australia, naturally being really competitive and playing with pride. Pride in my performance and in playing for Australia and wanting to win games and win World Cups. There’s a will that’s been around for a long time,” he added.
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The talented leg-spinner did not have a great outing to remember in the World Cup semi-final encounter against South Africa as the duo of David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen took on and he finished with figures of 0-55 off seven overs. However, Adam Zampa has played 95 ODIs and 73 T20Is for Australia so far, but a red-ball appearance has always eluded him as well. He has taken 111 wickets in 40 first-class matches which came at an average of 46.98.
“I look back and wish that I hadn’t maybe played as much four-day cricket as I was back then, but it’s all led to what I am now as a cricketer, so I can’t really judge it too harshly. It was just a tough time, the first part of my first-class career, but even back then I was able to adapt straight into white-ball cricket. I was always better at T20, and as a white-ball bowler generally. My List A [one-day] stuff was always really good for South Australia, and even when I was younger with NSW. Naturally, I was just better at it,” Adam Zampa concluded.
