Adam Zampa had a torrid time in Centurion when Heinrich Klaasen went after him during his carnage-filled knock and scored 50 runs from just 17 balls. Klaasen hit him for as many as six sixes during his career-best 174-run knock. Zampa ended up conceding 113 runs from his quota of 10 overs, the joint-most expensive figures for a bowler in ODI cricket history alongside former Australian pacer Mick Lewis.
Questions were raised about whether Zampa will be able to deliver in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 in India. In the next game, Zampa did not let Klaasen get the better of him and got the explosive batter’s wicket to exact revenge.
In his second over in the fifth ODI at The Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, he did not let Klaasen settle. The leggie attacked the stumps and got his reward. Klaasen went on the back foot to play a nothing shot. The length ball landed around the middle. The 95kmph delivery with scrambled seam moved just away to beat the bat and hit the off-stump. The ‘Player of the match’ of the previous ODI got out after scoring just six runs from 13 balls.
Zampa has been Australia’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup. He has taken 72 wickets already and is just behind Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane among the leading wicket-takers in the format since World Cup 2019.
The 31-year-old currently has the best strike rate for an Australian spinner in ODIs with 100 or more wickets.
Apart from the off day in Centurion, Zampa has been in fine form in the ODI series. In the first ODI, he conceded 42 runs from his quota of 10 overs. In the second ODI, he took four wickets from nine overs to help Australia win the match by a comfortable margin of 123 runs.
Zampa’s form will be crucial for Australia in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023. He has taken 24 wickets from 14 games already including one four-wicket haul on Indian soil.
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