Home comforts have Zampa primed for World Cup

Leg-spinner Adam Zampa is relishing the prospect of an increased focus on T20 Internationals as Australia set their sights on a maiden ICC T20 World Cup triumph on home soil next October.

Zampa has five wickets in two matches against Sri Lanka after taking 2-20 in Australia's nine-wicket win at the Gabba on Wednesday night, and the Redbacks tweaker is fast building an imposing record at home.

Of the eight bowlers to have taken 10-plus wickets in T20Is in Australia, Zampa has the best average (10.71), strike-rate (11.5) and economy rate (5.55). Last year at the Gabba, he was man of the match against India with 2-22, including the wicket of Virat Kohli, and the 27-year-old credits his time in the KFC Big Bash with Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Stars for his recent impressive performances.

"Probably years of experience now, obviously with the Big Bash, it's nice to have those familiarities (with Australian venues)," Zampa told cricket.com.au.

"You come to these grounds, you know them really well, I had a nice game here last year as well, so you come to these venues with a bit of confidence.

"I know at the Gabba you're going to get lots of bounce, it's a bit shorter straight so people are going to target the straight boundaries, so (bowling) into the wicket is important, top-spin is important here … (but) you've got to change to (suit) each one."

Zampa drew praise from captain Aaron Finch for the lengths he bowled in taking 3-14 in the series opener in Adelaide on Sunday, and at the Gabba he slowed his pace and changed his line, particularly to the tail. It was a tactic that reaped dividends when he lured No.7 Wanindu Hasaranga out of his crease for the first of two stumpings by fellow Redback Alex Carey, whose eight stumpings are now the most by an Australian in T20Is.

"Before the first stumping I actually stood up the top of my mark and (Carey) almost gave me a little baseball signal like, 'What do you reckon – throw it wide?' Zampa revealed.

"And I was like, 'Alright, let's see if this works'. That's why you saw our nice little hug celebration afterwards."

Zampa was again neatly complemented by the left-arm orthodox spin of Ashton Agar, who took 2-27 from his four overs including the key wicket of Kusal Perera.

While this new-look Australian T20 outfit has yet to be truly tested, the success of the spin twins has already been noted, and could establish the blueprint for how the team sets up moving forward.

"I think (two spinners) worked really well the other night (in Adelaide)," coach Justin Langer said before play on Wednesday. "We know that No.7 position is very important that we've got a specialist bowler there; Ashton Agar has a very good record in Big Bash cricket, he's also a gun fielder and if we need him to hit a few at the end, we know he can do that.

"But I like the look of (two spinners) on the bigger grounds, with the bigger square boundaries."

Australia play their final T20I against Sri Lanka on Friday in Melbourne, before flying to Sydney for Sunday's first T20I against Pakistan.

Gillette T20 INTLs v Sri Lanka

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott (from game two)

Sri Lanka squad: Lasith Malinga (c), Kusal Perera, Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka, Avishka Fernando, Niroshan Dickwella, Dasun Shanaka, Shehan Jayasuriya, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Oshada Fernando, Wanindu Hasaranga, Lakshan Sandakan, Nuwan Pradeep, Lahiru Kumara, Isuru Udana, Kasun Rajitha

First T20: Australia won by 134 runs

Second T20: Australia won by nine wickets

November 1: Third T20I, MCG, 7.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

Gillette T20 INTLs v Pakistan

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (c), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Hasnain, Mohammad Irfan, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir.

November 3: First T20I, SCG, 2.30pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 5: Second T20I, Manuka Oval, 7.10pm (Fox & Kayo)

November 8: Third T20I, Perth Stadium, 4.30pm (Fox & Kayo)