Adam Zampa became the first Australian bowler to reach 100 wickets in Twenty20 internationals and led his team to a record-breaking nine-wicket thumping of Namibia at the T20 World Cup on Tuesday.
Zampa’s four-wicket haul (4-12) restricted Namibia to a paltry 72 runs, the lowest total ever posted against Australia in a T20I. The dominant bowling performance set up a comfortable chase for the Aussies, who reached the target in just 5.4 overs with Travis Head (34no), David Warner (20), and Mitch Marsh (18no) leading the way.
The win ensures Australia’s place in the tournament’s Super 8 stage regardless of their final group match against Scotland. The top two teams from the Super 8s progress to the knockout semifinals.
Opting to bowl first, Australia displayed exceptional bowling discipline. Josh Hazlewood (2-18), Pat Cummins (1-16), and Marcus Stoinis (2-9) ripped through the Namibian top order, reducing them to 3-17 within the powerplay. Openers Niko Davin and Michael van Lingen fell to Hazlewood’s pace, while Jan Frylinck became Cummins’ first victim.
Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus (36) offered some resistance but was the only other batsman to reach double digits. Nathan Ellis, replacing the injured Mitchell Starc, picked up a crucial wicket with a successful lbw review on vice-captain JJ Smit (3).
Zampa, coming off a Player of the Match performance against England, continued his fine form. He trapped wicketkeeper Zane Green lbw and enticed David Wiese into a miscued shot pouched by Hazlewood in the deep. Zampa then dismissed Ruben Trumpelmann and Bernard Scholtz in quick succession to reach his historic milestone.
Australia’s bowling attack produced their best performance in T20 history, surpassing the previous low of 73 runs scored by Bangladesh in the 2021 World Cup.
Warner provided a quick start to the chase, smashing boundaries before falling for 20. However, his dismissal barely halted Australia’s momentum. Head anchored the chase with an unbeaten 34, while Marsh finished the match in style with a winning four, securing victory with 86 balls and nine wickets remaining.
“It was a great performance from our bowling team,” said skipper Marsh. “We want to try and take early wickets. There was a bit of swing out there, it’s a beautiful wicket. All round, a professional performance.”
Marsh acknowledged the need to manage player fitness concerns, particularly Starc’s calf complaint. “We’ll manage as many people as we can over the next few days,” he added, referencing the upcoming matches.
