Australia spinner Adam Zampa, courtesy of a prolific run of form in the ongoing ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup so far, is on the verge of overtaking legendary spinners namely Muttiah Muralitharan and late Shane Warne with respect to a special record pertaining to the tournament.
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This illustrious below mentioned list, which also includes former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and former Australian spinner Brad Hogg, comprises names of spinners (coincidentally leg-spinners as well) who have picked most wickets in a single edition of a World Cup.
| Team | Player | Wickets | Average | Matches | Year |
| Sri Lanka | Muttiah Muralitharan | 23 | 15.26 | 10 | 2007 |
| Pakistan | Shahid Afridi | 21 | 12.85 | 8 | 2011 |
| Australia | Brad Hogg | 21 | 15.8 | 11 | 2007 |
| Australia | Shane Warne | 20 | 18.05 | 10 | 1999 |
| Australia | Adam Zampa | 22 | 18.90 | 9 | 2023 |
Having picked the most number of wickets in this World Cup at this point in time, Zampa is one of the three spinners (only leg-spinner) among the Top-10 highest wicket-takers in the tournament.
UPDATE: Zampa is now just one wicket away from equaling Muralitharan’s tally of wickets in a single edition of World Cup. With a maximum of two matches left to be played, he might well grab the first spot in the above mentioned list.
With Niggles, Spasms And Weight Of Expectations Pulling Him Down, Adam Zampa Finds Way To Breathe Fire
Despite not being in the best of forms before the tournament, Zampa was expected to be a vital cog in the Australian bowling line-up especially as the only specialist spinner in a 15-member squad. During bilateral ODI series in South Africa and India leading up to the World Cup, he had scalped 11 wickets at an average of 36.09. The 31-year-old had registered joint-worst bowling figures because of Proteas batter Heinrich Klassen smashing him for six sixes in Centurion.
While the personal form was a bone of contention, Zampa had also been hit with injuries leading to his team’s World Cup opener. Struggling with hip, shoulder, and neck niggles, he had also not participated in the two warm-up matches against Netherlands and Pakistan as he was also down with illness. As a result, the five-time champions began the World Cup with two consecutive losses against India and South Africa. Zampa, across these games, had returned with pedestrian figures of 1/128 in the 18 overs he bowled in total.
With voices intensifying around selectors’ decision to go in with just one specialist spinner in subcontinent conditions, Zampa decided to take the onus upon himself single-handedly. His stellar performances, which includes two Player of the Match awards, has led Australia to five wins on the trot.
Bowling much quicker with a majority of his wicket-taking deliveries being the wrong-uns, Zampa has hit the ideal lengths with the ball, more often than not, finishing in line of the stumps. Of his 19 wickets which includes some big names like Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Daryl Mitchell, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali etc., he has had seven of his victims trapped in front of the wickets.
With a reputation of having their beast mode activated each time during an ICC tournament, Australia will certainly bank on Zampa to keep breathing fire and help them lift a World Cup title away from home after 16 years. But does he have enough gas left in his tank for the business end? Only time will tell.
