Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa was laid low by illness after Cricket Australia confirmed that the cricketer contracted Covid-19 ahead of their important T20 World Cup 2022 match against Sri Lanka. The defending champions lost their first match to New Zealand by a huge 89-run margin.
A team spokesperson confirmed that Zampa recently returned a positive test but is only displaying minor symptoms. It puts him in considerable doubt for Tuesday evening's match at Perth Stadium, though the team insists he remains available for selection.
As per new rules, a player contracting Covid-19 and testing positive for the virus is not prevented from competing at this year's World Cup. However, if Zampa is selected for the XI, he would have to travel to the match separately and his contact with other Australian players and support staff would be limited.
Ireland all-rounder George Dockrell played against Sri Lanka on Sunday in Hobart despite the team identifying him as "potentially positive".
This precedent began when Australia women’s cricketer Tahlia McGrath played in the Commonwealth Games gold medal match for the women's side earlier this year in Birmingham.
However, in case Australian team management refrains from fielding Zampa, then Ashton Agar is the potential replacement for the leggie. The left-arm spinner has a formidable run-saving record in T20Is on home soil, going at just 5.34 per over, while that figure drops to 5.16 in all T20s against Sri Lanka, incidentally the country where Agar's mother was born.
The Australian government scrapped mandatory isolation requirements earlier this month, meaning this World Cup is being played with far more relaxed bio-security rules.
Australia squad:
Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Aaron Finch (c), Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
(Cricket Australia inputs)
