An Australian star caused a stir before a ball was bowled after he was spotted refusing to sing the national anthem at the Cricket World Cup for the second time in days.
All-rounder Adam Zampa was the odd man out alongside his Australian teammates ahead of their win against Pakistan on Friday.
As captain Pat Cummins and his teammates proudly sang Advance Australia Fair with their arms around each other, Zampa’s lips were pressed tightly together.
Australian coach Andrew McDonald was also caught by television cameras standing on the boundary line and not moving his mouth.
Adam Zampa did not sing the Australian national anthem for the second time this week
The latest anthem saga involving Australian sporting stars comes a week after NRL players Kotoni Staggs, Payne Haas and Selwyn Cobbo remained silent during the anthem before Australia’s Kangaroos Test match against Samoa.
It is understood Zampa, 31, sang the national anthem ahead of the first two matches of the World Cup in Australia last week but remained silent when it was played before the third match against Sri Lanka on Monday.
McDonald was also seen not singing the words.
The Indigenous Voice to Parliament was defeated in the referendum two days earlier.
It is not known whether Zampa’s actions were in any way related to the recent referendum
Andrew McDonald was also spotted remaining silent during the national anthem
Sharp-eyed viewers at home were quick to slam Zampa.
‘Doesn’t Adam Zampa know the words to our national anthem?!! Shouldn’t be playing for Australia,” said one fan.
Another wrote: ‘Adam Zampa can fuck straight away. Australian Cricket should sack the bum.”
A third wrote: ‘Omg Zampa didn’t sing the national anthem!!’
The media also got involved in the commotion.
“I can report that Adam Zampa will not be singing the Pakistani national anthem,” tweeted Greg Baum, The Age’s chief sportsman.
Some fans came to Zampa’s defense after he came under fire for not singing the national anthem earlier this week.
“Maybe he didn’t feel like singing it because it’s absolutely worthless as a piece of music,” one fan suggested.