NEW DELHI: Australian cricketer Adam Zampa remains committed to playing for his country despite the increasing trend among players to join international franchise leagues. Zampa, who will reach his 100th One Day International (ODI) match against England at Trent Bridge on Thursday, emphasises the importance of representing Australia.
Many see the current ODI series between Australia and England as lacking significant context, and the 50-over format is facing waning interest globally. Yet, Zampa, 32, continues to value the format and his national team's colors.
He acknowledges the opportunities in franchise cricket but maintains that national duty is paramount. "There's opportunities to go and improve yourself at different franchise levels, even if they are going on at the same time, which seems to be the case at the moment," Zampa said. "But it feels like playing for your country is still the priority."
Zampa has secured 169 wickets in ODIs, ranking second among Australian spin bowlers after Shane Warne. His performance has been crucial in Australia's white-ball cricket successes, notably being the top wicket-taker during last year's 50-over World Cup in India and contributing to their T20 World Cup win in 2021.
Recently, Zampa helped the Oval Invincibles secure their second consecutive victory in The Hundred, a franchise league in England and Wales. Reflecting on this, he said, "It was great, I loved playing it, and winning at the end is a bonus." He added, "But it hits different when you play for your country, when you win World Cups. Still got that drive to win many more."
As Zampa looks forward to future opportunities in international cricket, he hopes young players continue to see value in the ODI format and representing their countries.
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