Zampa sizes up role in Aussies' twin-spin plans

While much of the focus of Australia's T20 clean sweep of Sri Lanka was on the hosts dominant batting, leg-spinner Adam Zampa slipped under the radar as perhaps the pick of the bowlers.

Zampa collected 5-64 from 12 overs in the 3-0 whitewash, just one wicket less than series-leader Pat Cummins but the South Australian owned a superior economy rate (5.33 to Cummins' 6.58).

The 27-year-old was dropped halfway through Australia's World Cup campaign for veteran Nathan Lyon but has established himself as the nation's premier T20 spinner over the past 12 months.

Using a mixture of leg-breaks, sliders, top-spinners and googlies, Zampa varied his pace to dominate the Sri Lankans and impress captain Aaron Finch.

"He's bowling beautifully at the moment," Finch said on the eve of the first Gillette T20I against Pakistan at the SCG (Sunday 2.30pm AEDT, Fox Cricket and Kayo via the CA Live app).

"His length is great, he's not giving batsmen width, he's defending his overs really well.

"To get in and out of your overs is so crucial in T20 cricket and he's doing that really well. And having that experience playing at the MCG, which is very short straight, over the last few years in the Big Bash I think that's helped him a lot in his T20 cricket."

While Zampa has led Australia's spin attack he has had an ally in Ashton Agar, the languid left-arm orthodox spinner and dynamic batter, who picked up three wickets and went for just 5.33 runs per over against the Sri Lankans.

Agar was entrenched in Australia's T20 side 18 months ago before form and injury saw the 26-year-old out of the XI, but now he is back to full fitness the Western Australian had added another dimension to Finch's T20 unit. 

Australian cricket has been synonymous with elite fast bowling for as long as the game has been around but Finch said a look at the data surrounding economy rate in T20 cricket on home soil has led to a re-think in the bowling strategy with the T20 World Cup 12 months away.

"All the stats suggest that runs per over off spinners are lower in this country than quicks," Finch said.

"I think that's based off ground size, how true the wickets are too.

"It's not a non-negotiable (playing two spinners) but structuring up for these two series we've felt that (three quicks, two spinners) was our best five bowlers going forward.

"Agar offers that brilliance in the field, very good with bat when he's playing well just hasn't had the opportunity yet, which is also a good thing that our No.7 and No.6 haven't had a hit.

"At some stage he'll no doubt get his opportunity with the bat and do really well."

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)