DP World ILT20 2025: Adam Zampa opens up on off field grind, playing in Sharjah and managing workload

Star cricketer Adam Zampa last appeared for Australia on 18 November 2024 in a T20I against Pakistan. Since then, he has not represented the team in any format. Moreover, he was overlooked for the Test series against Australia at home as Nathan Lyon was the lone spinner. He could not make it to the squad for the Test series against Sri Lanka, as the team has stuck with Lyon and Todd Murphy as preferred spinners. 

However, a respite came in the form of inclusion in Australia’s preliminary squad for Champions Trophy 2025. It is worth noting that, he was part of Australia’s World Cup 2023 win in India. Meanwhile, after finishing the Big Bash League 2024–25 duties, he joined Sharjah Warriorz in the ongoing DP World ILT20 2025, and has picked one wicket playing two games. He played two consecutive games in a span of almost 30 hours. The spinner opened up on his stay in Dubai and the league in a candid conversation on the sidelines of the DP World ILT20.

Excerpts

You bowled two back-to-back days on an iconic turf like Sharjah. How was it? How was the experience overall?

Yeah, I like playing at Sharjah. I've played quite a bit here before, but there's something about it that makes you think about what you're doing. It's obviously a tough place to be a bowler, it's a very small ground. I don't think I've played a place where more sixes get, balls get lost out of the stadium onto the road but yeah it's a small ground and it tests you, tests your defensive bowling which I enjoy.

Since you are playing back-to-back cricket, how exhausting is it because you just came back (from Australia) and now you're playing this match. Tell us something like how exactly you're planning to move your day?

Yeah, it's tough playing back-to-back cricket. It's more the long flight from Australia that's the one that kind of ruins you and then back-to-back games isn't helpful, but I think with a competition like this the best thing about it is that there's no travel. That makes life a lot easier. I think tomorrow we've got a day off, which would be nice. I haven't had a day off yet since we've been here, so I might take an ice bath and a swim in the ocean.

Also Check: Most Wickets DP World ILT20 2025

Since you're a spinner how do you find Sharjah ground? Do you think this is too small to bowl?

Yeah I'd obviously prefer it being a bit bigger but yeah as I said it tests you out. It's a thing about being a cricketer and being someone who plays all around the world you've got to be a universal bowler and work it out everywhere. So this is one of those grounds where it certainly tests you. It's maybe a bit too small.