KARACHI:
Australia cruised into the Super Eights of the T20 World Cup with a dominant nine-wicket victory over Namibia at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Adam Zampa starred with the ball, claiming figures of 4-12 and becoming the first Australian man to reach 100 T20I wickets.
Namibia, batting first, struggled against Australia’s bowling attack and were dismissed for just 72 runs in 17 overs. Australia chased down the target in a mere 5.4 overs, losing only one wicket in the process.
Zampa’s exceptional performance earned him the Man of the Match award, although he acknowledged some loose deliveries, stating, “I bowled a couple of pies tonight to get a couple of wickets but that happens at times.” He credited the encouragement from the captain to take wickets in the middle overs and acknowledged the challenge of bowling in the Caribbean.
Namibia’s captain, Gerhard Erasmus, admitted his team’s failure to match Australia’s level of skill and intensity, stating, “You cannot sit back against the best in the world.” He emphasized the need to step up mentally to compete at this level.
Looking ahead, Australia’s captain, Mitchell Marsh, praised Zampa as their most important player and hinted at possible squad rotation for their upcoming match against Scotland. He acknowledged Zampa’s ability to perform under pressure and highlighted his significant contributions to the team over the years.