Cooper Connolly of Australia took over as the opener for the ongoing Champions Trophy match between India and Australia in the first semi-final. Against India, he took Matthew Short’s place after he was hurt. Since the young all-rounder is participating in the tournament’s pivotal match, his involvement has attracted a lot of interest.
However, Connolly was caught behind in Mohammed Shami’s over on 0 and was unable to score in the pivotal match against India. In the second innings, the all-rounder sent the India captain back to the pavilion for 28 runs after dropping Rohit Sharma‘s catch.
Western Australia is the birthplace of 21-year-old Cooper Connolly, an all-rounder who bats left-handed and bowls right-arm off-break. Connolly’s impressive domestic cricket accomplishments helped him advance through the ranks. He has played for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League since making his debut for Western Australia in 2023.
Cooper Connolly’s career
A remarkable showing in Australia’s local circuit marked the beginning of Connolly’s adventure, and he was soon selected for the national squad. In January 2023, he made his T20 debut for the Perth Scorchers, displaying his batting ability with a string of powerful hits.
Selectors took notice of Connolly’s steady Big Bash League performances and included him in Australia’s white-ball teams. In cricket, Connolly played his first Test match against Sri Lanka in February 2025 after making his ODI debut against England in September 2024. Despite his youth, Connolly is making his debut as an opener for Australia in international cricket.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODIs | 3 | 10 | 10 | 31.25 |
| BBL | 25 | 577 | 38.46 | 136.72 |
| Format | Matches | Wickets | Economy Rate | Best Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBL | 25 | 12 | 7.27 | 3/25 |
In T20 cricket, Connolly has delivered on his potential as a bowler, capturing 12 wickets in 27 games at an average of 26.16 with peak figures of 3/25. In the shortest format, his economy rate of 7.47 shows that he can control the run flow.
However, he has had little impact with the ball in international cricket as he has failed to take a wicket in ODIs, Tests, or T20Is.
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