Spinner Adam Zampa rejected the narrative Australia do not value T20 cricket as highly as other formats after his side departed the World Cup by thrashing Oman for a consolation nine-wicket win.
Mitchell Marsh’s side were already out of the tournament after defeats by Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe but lifted themselves to dismiss Oman for 104 before racing to their target in just 9.4 overs.
Since their exit was confirmed on Tuesday, it has been suggested, external Australia do not value the shortest format as highly as Test or 50-over cricket.
“It is totally false,” said Zampa, a white-ball specialist who has never played a Test.
“The time the coaches and staff put into our T20 cricket is probably as much as Test cricket, potentially even more time because T20 cricket and one-day cricket, everyone is a lot tighter in the world. The work is definitely there.”
Australia’s poor World Cup follows their 4-1 victory over England in the Ashes. They have not lost an Ashes series since 2015. They have won six 50-over World Cups but only one of the 10 men’s T20 World Cups.
They lost bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to injury before this tournament while left-armer Mitchell Starc has also retired from T20s, but their thinking often appeared muddled throughout the group stage here.
“The Australian public struggle with the fact they don’t get to see much white-ball cricket played,” said 33-year-old Zampa.
“We play three to six games in the summer and do a lot of our work away from Australian time.
“They don’t get to see the way we play and prepare for these World Cups.
“It is disappointing it has ended like this but the work and time is as much as the other formats.”
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