“Marcus Stoinis stopped him” - Ex-Pakistan batter’s bizarre claim on Adam Zampa stuns fans

Former Pakistan cricketers Kamran Akmal and Basit Ali made bizarre comments about Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa on live television during PSL 2026. The duo discussed why Zampa has never played Test cricket for the Australia national cricket team despite his success in white-ball formats.

Zampa has been a key player for Australia across limited-overs formats. The leg-spinner won the T20 World Cup 2021 and the Cricket World Cup 2023. However, the 34-year-old has never played a Test match and has not been active in domestic first-class cricket due to commitments with Australia’s white-ball teams.

Usko Marcus Stoinis Ne Mana Kar Diya Tha - Basit Ali

Former wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal expressed surprise regarding Australian selection policies. Akmal praised the impressive bowling skills of Adam Zampa before questioning why Cricket Australia ignored him for Test selection.

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“Agar Adam Zampa ki baat karein toh main hairan tha ke woh test match nahi khela? Itni zabardast bowling, line aur length, googly, flipper sara... main hairan hoon Cricket Australia ne usko test cricket ki taraf nahi dekha. [If we talk about Adam Zampa, I was surprised that he didn’t play Test cricket. Such excellent bowling - line and length, googly, flipper, everything… I am surprised that Cricket Australia didn’t consider him for Test cricket]."

Basit Ali ignored cricket logic and bizarrely claimed that Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis stopped Adam Zampa from ever playing Test cricket for Australia.

“Usko Stoinis ne mana kar diya tha [Stoinis stopped him',” Ali stated.

Akmal: “I’m surprised Adam Zampa never played Tests for Australia.”

Basit Ali: “Marcus Stoinis asked him not to play.”

Anchor: “That’s their personal matter.”

Coming from a former international cricketer, how can you be so cheap on television? pic.twitter.com/JTPhpAjrwL

— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) April 3, 2026

The Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis Friendship

The bizarre television comments refer to the close friendship between Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis. Australian cricket fans and media often describe their bond as a famous bromance.

Zampa and Stoinis frequently share playful moments in public and are known for their love of coffee. During strict team bio-bubbles, Stoinis jokingly called Zampa his husband online.

Cameras have also captured several funny on-field interactions between the two players during matches. Despite the online jokes, Zampa and Stoinis are simply close friends who support each other.

Adam Zampa Never Played Test Cricket

Adam Zampa missed out on Test cricket mainly due to his white-ball commitments. He played 41 first-class matches for New South Wales, taking 115 wickets. However, his high bowling average of 46 prevented him from making his international Test debut.

In October 2025, Zampa admitted that he had given up his dream of playing Test cricket. Now aged 33, he wants to extend his successful white-ball career. Cricket Australia has contracted him as a white-ball specialist for the 2026-27 season.

Since Shane Warne’s retirement, Zampa has been Australia’s most successful limited-overs leg-spinner. He has nearly 200 ODI wickets and is close to reaching 150 wickets in T20Is, highlighting his dominance in white-ball cricket.

The Australian leg-spinner is currently playing for Karachi Kings in PSL 2026. He has taken three wickets in three matches at an average of 21.67 and an economy rate of 5.42, including best figures of 2-11.

Also read: Australia selector officially signals end of Nathan Lyon’s international career