Adam Zampa Becomes the First Australian Man to Take 100 T20I Wickets

Vegan leg-spinner Adam Zampa has become the first Australian man to take 100 wickets in T20 internationals. He reached the milestone against Namibia at the T20 World Cup in Antigua on Tuesday, June 11, finishing with four wickets for 12 runs from his four overs.

Australia bowled Namibia out for 72, their lowest total in T20 internationals, then chased the target in 34 balls to win by nine wickets and reach the Super 8 stage with a game to spare, PTI reports. Zampa was named player of the match.

He got there in his 83rd T20I, and he is well clear of the next Australian, Mitchell Starc, who has 76, according to Times Now. Zampa now has eight wickets in three games at this World Cup, including two against defending champions England. Captain Mitchell Marsh called him "probably our most important player" of the last four or five years.

Zampa has been vegan since 2013, and he is clear that it was never a performance plan. He told BBC Sport:

I'm not vegan to help my performance. I did it because I care about animals and the environment. It's really easy for me because I'm passionate about it.

He travels light on clothes so he can pack his own kitchen. "I've only brought about three T-shirts and two pairs of pants so I can fit in all my food and all my appliances," he said, listing a microwave, nutritional yeast, miso soups, packet mac and vegan cheese, and peanut butter.

A hundred T20I wickets later, it seems to be working.

In November Zampa took 23 wickets as Australia won the Cricket World Cup in India, and in 2021 he was Australia's leading spinner as they won their first T20 World Cup. Last month mostly vegan manager Russell Martin took Southampton back to the Premier League.

No meat, no problem.