AHMEDABAD: Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa on Sunday achieved a remarkable feat by equalling the legendary Muthiah Muralidaran’s record for the most wickets by a spinner in a single edition of the ODI World Cup.
Zampa, who returned figures of 1/44 in his 10 overs, helped Australia book the strong Indian batting lineup for a modest total in the grand final.
His sole wicket in the match came in the 45th over when he trapped Jasprit Bumrah plumb in front.
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Bumrah’s dismissal took his wickets tally in the ongoing World Cup to 23 and equalled the Sri Lankan legend’s long-standing record, who picked up as many in the 2007 edition.
In an elite list of spinners, Adam Zampa is followed by his compatriot Brad Hogg and former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who picked 21 wickets each in the 2007 and 2011 editions respectively.
Australian spin legend Shane Warne is fifth on the list with 20 wickets, which he took in the 1999 World Cup.
In addition to his World Cup record, Zampa also made history by becoming the first overseas bowler to reach the milestone of 50 wickets in ODIs on Indian soil. It took him 27 matches to achieve this landmark.
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The ongoing World Cup marked a change of fortune for Adam Zampa.
In September, he returned with the joint-worst bowling figures in the history of Men’s ODIs when he conceded 113 in his 10 overs and went wicketless in the fourth ODI of the five-match away series against South Africa.
However, his dismal record was shortlived, courtesy of Glenn Maxwell’s berserk double century against the Netherlands.
He charged at all Dutch bowlers but Bas de Leede was targetted more by the right-handed batter. Bas de Leede conceded a whopping 115 runs in his quota of 10 overs and bagged two wickets.
He went for six sixes and 13 boundaries during Australia’s late onslaught which also included a 28-run 49th over against Maxwell, who recorded the fastest World Cup hundred, breaking Aiden Markram’s record.
