Despite the plethora of franchise tournaments that now populate cricket’s global calendar, Adam Zampa has always strived to put his country above all else and fittingly today he becomes the first bowler to notch a century of T20s for Australia.
Having regularly pushed through niggles like he did with back spasms during Australia’s run to the 50-over World Cup crown in 2023, Zampa also bases his tournament schedule around those that would best prepare him to represent his country.
He skipped last year’s Indian Premier League to prioritise his preparations for the 2024 T20 World Cup, then starred for champions Oval Invincibles in the Hundred as he acclimatised to English conditions ahead of the Aussies’ white-ball tour there last September.
The leg-spinner hasn’t missed a T20 for Australia in the past 18 months, bringing up 100 international caps in the format with his 26th consecutive match in the series finale against West Indies in St Kitts.
Zampa is the fourth Australian to play 100 T20 internationals after Glenn Maxwell (120), David Warner (110) and Aaron Finch (103), and after also passing 100 ODIs last September, his 221 white-ball appearances for his country puts him around the mark of Aussie bowling greats Glenn McGrath (250 ODIs and two T20Is) and Brett Lee (221 ODIs and 25 T20Is).
“A proud moment to play 100 T20 internationals, not many of us have done it,” Zampa told cricket.com.au in St Kitts ahead of his milestone match.
“I’ve played a lot more than I thought I would … it’s a nice achievement, it goes to show the longevity and I’ve just tried to make this spot mine and luckily enough, I’ve been around the team for a while.
“I love playing for Australia and I’ve always tried to put that first, I’ve always made sure that I’m tip top for these games, it’s something I pride myself on.”
Captain Mitch Marsh won his fifth toss of the series and again opted to bowl in Zampa’s 100th match with Australia making two changes as they seek their first ever 5-0 sweep of an opponent in a T20 series.
Tim David returns for the fifth T20 after being rested for the previous match following his record-breaking 37-ball century, as does left-armer Ben Dwarshuis, with Cooper Connolly and Xavier Bartlett making way.
West Indies XI: Shai Hope (c, wk), Brandon King, Keacy Carty, Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Jediah Blades
Australia XI: Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Marsh (c), Josh Inglis (wk), Cameron Green, Tim David, Mitch Owen, Aaron Hardie, Ben Dwarshuis, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa
West Indies made two changes as well with Rovman Powell, who is also on 99 T20Is, missing after landing awkwardly on his wrist in the previous match. Roston Chase has also been left out with Alzarri Joseph back into the side alongside batter Keacy Carty.
“Hopefully another win, five-nil would be nice,” said Zampa when asked how he planned to celebrate reaching the milestone.
“An Australian team has never won a five-match T20 series five-nil so that would be a nice achievement for this group, particularly with some young guys that have come in and guys playing different roles, it’s been a really exciting last week or so.”
Zampa is comfortably Australia’s most prolific bowler in the T20 format with 124 wickets, with his career average (21.14) behind only Mitchell Johnson (20.97) among those to have sent down more than 100 overs.
He nominated Australia’s men’s T20 World Cup triumph in 2021 as his favourite moment in the format as he hopes their current run of form can put them in contention to win another next year.
“(I’ve) always been backed by the captain and the coach to play my role,” Zampa said.
“I’ve played a lot of cricket, so I know my game really well and I know my role on this team.
“We’ve been playing really good cricket; our World Cups haven’t gone to plan the last couple but there’s a lot of new guys, new faces and new roles, so getting ready for whatever pops up in that T20 World Cup, it’s all (about) the build up to that.
“I’ve seen a transition in the way that T20 is played in particular and the depth that we’ve got.
“Guys like Mitch Owen, (have) a lot of power (and there’s) a lot of dynamic players through the middle, guys that can hit it out of the ground.
“It’s not too often you walk off the field … chasing 206 (Australia’s target in the fourth T20) and you feel pretty confident that’s under par.
“That’s just the way T20 is going and it’s the way that we’re playing our game as well and it’s really exciting.”
Qantas Tour of the West Indies
First T20I: Australia won by three wickets
Second T20I: Australia won by eight wickets
Third T20I: Australia won by six wickets
Fourth T20I: Australia won by three wickets
Fifth T20I: July 28, Basseterre, St Kitts (July 29, 9am AEST)
West Indies T20 squad: Shai Hope (c), Jewel Andrew, Jediah Blades, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde (St Kitts only), Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell (Kingston only), Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd
Australia’s T20 squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Tim David, Ben Dwarshius, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Matt Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Mitch Owen, Adam Zampa
