Picture credit: ICC Cricket World Cup/Twitter

Five-time World Champions Australia entered the record books of world cricket on Sunday, winning their sixth ICC Men's Cricket World Cup title by beating India in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. India posted a total of 240 in their 50 overs, with contributions from half-centurions Virat Kohli and KL Rahul, and a flier of a start from captain Rohit Sharma. 

The formidable bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood proved instrumental, sharing a total of seven wickets among them. As the only full-time spinner in the side, Adam Zampa continued to contribute to his team's success with his wily leg-spin. Although he conceded 44 runs in his 10 overs, Zampa's performance earned him a significant place in the record books.

Zampa's record streak

Zampa's wicket-taking prowess throughout the World Cup 2023 campaign made him the joint-highest wicket-taker among spinners in a single World Cup edition. He equalled the record set by Sri Lanka's Mutthiah Muralitharan, who achieved the feat by taking 23 wickets in the 2007 edition. Zampa finished the tournament with an impressive tally of 23 wickets from 11 matches, boasting an average of 22.39, which included three four-wicket hauls.

Notably, Zampa had already surpassed the likes of Brad Hogg (21 wickets in 2007) and Shane Warne (20 wickets in 1999) during the group-stage clash against Bangladesh. This made him the Australian spinner with the most wickets in a single World Cup edition.

Four-fers galore

Zampa's exceptional bowling performance extended to the group stage, where he became the first Australian bowler to record three consecutive four-plus wicket hauls in ODI World Cups. His notable achievements include figures of 4/47 against Sri Lanka, 4/53 against Pakistan, and an outstanding 4/8 against the Netherlands.

With a total of 165 ODI wickets at an average of 28.12, Zampa has solidified his place as a key contributor to Australia's bowling prowess on the international stage.