In the Champions Trophy semi-final against India and Australia, Cooper Connolly will open for Australia in place of Matthew Short, who is injured. The youthful all-rounder wants to make an impression in one of the most important games of his career, thus his participation has drawn notice.
Cooper Connolly, a 21-year-old all-rounder who bowls right-arm off-break and bats left-handed, was born in Western Australia. Connolly rose up the ranks thanks to strong domestic cricket performances. He made his Western Australia debut in 2023 and has played for the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League.
The Career of Cooper Connolly
A remarkable showing on 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.
Cooper Connolly’s batting statistics table
Cooper Connolly’s ability as a multi-format player is demonstrated by his hitting statistics. He has been especially effective in T20 cricket, amassing 577 runs at an average of 38.46 and a strike rate of 136.72 in 27 games. Connolly has amassed 117 runs in 9 games in the 50-over format (List A) while keeping his strike rate at 75.00.
Table: ODI bowling statistics for Cooper Connolly
Connolly has demonstrated promise as a bowler in T20 cricket, taking 12 wickets in 27 games at an average of 26.16, with top statistics of 3/25. His ability to regulate the run flow is demonstrated by his economy rate of 7.47 in the shortest format.
But since he hasn’t taken a wicket in ODIs, Tests, or T20Is, his influence with the ball in international cricket has been minimal.
