• Source:JND
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AUS vs SL, ODI World Cup 2023: Australia registered their first win in the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023 as they defeated Sri Lanka in match 15 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Luckow on Monday.

The star leg-spinner Adam Zampa was brilliant with the ball as he put up an effective performance after disappointing outings in the first two matches.

Zampa picked up four wickets and played a key role in restricting the Lankans after Pat Cummins triggered a collapse with two wickets.

The Aussies bowled Sri Lanka out for just 209 in 43.3 overs despite conceding a fiery opening partnership of 125 runs between Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Perera.

Zampa took the crucial wicket of the in-form batter and new Lanka's new captain Kusal Mendis, removing him cheaply in the 28th over. He picked up the rhythm and followed it with the dismissal of Sadeera Samarawickrama.

He also contributed with the wickets of the lower order, dismissing Chamika Karunaratne and Maheesh Theekshana.

 

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"This is a bit of a random one, to be honest," Zampa said after Australia's win over Sri Lanka on Monday (October 17). "I did a gym session a couple of nights ago and I don't know if you've ever had a back spasm, but I was worse for wear the last couple of days.

"I had to do a fitness test before the game today. Yeah, I felt like adrenaline was going to get me through, and a bit of Panadein Forte. So yeah, it was a tough one to get through today, but yeah, I think as I said, one of those random ones that will wear off in the next day or so."

Zampa was adjudged as Player of the Match for his match-winning performance as he helped his team take the first two points in the tournament.

However, he was under the pump, having not been at his best in the tournament so far, especially being the lone frontline spin option in the squad. He returned figures of 0/53 and 1/70 in the first two games respectively.

"I'm very good at self-reflection. So yeah, I look back on the first two games and I'll probably look at the last game as one where I could have made a difference there and made it easy for those other guys. But yeah, the Indian game, I mean, we're under the pump defending 200 and I'm always going to be the guy who tries to get wickets. I'm not going to try and let the game peter out and let it go into nothing' Zampa said.

 

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"So yeah, figures, whatever. It's more about my attitude and reflecting on that too. Did I bowl the ball where I wanted it to? Did I make the right decisions? Did I put my game on the line to try and make a difference? And that's how I think about it. I don't really care about combined figures. It's just doing what I can to try and help win the game," he added.