Mullanpur (New Chandigarh): Cooper Connolly marked a sensational Indian Premier League debut with an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls, guiding Punjab Kings (PBKS) to a hard-fought three-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in Match No. 4 of IPL 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.
The 22-year-old Australian all-rounder, acquired by PBKS for ₹3 crore in the IPL 2026 auction, was promoted to No. 3 by captain Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting following the early dismissal of Priyansh Arya. Connolly seized the opportunity with a composed yet aggressive innings, striking five fours and as many sixes to anchor the chase.
Connolly reached his half-century in 34 deliveries, bringing up the milestone with a boundary off Kagiso Rabada in the 16th over. He eventually sealed the contest in style, hitting a boundary off the first ball of the final over from Washington Sundar to secure victory for the home side.
The young batter, known for his attacking approach and useful spin bowling, has been viewed as a long-term prospect in the mould of Australia’s Glenn Maxwell. His IPL debut performance has further strengthened that comparison.
Connolly had featured in 52 T20 matches prior to his IPL debut, scoring 870 runs and claiming 30 wickets. He has also represented Australia across formats, with one Test, eight ODIs, and 11 T20 Internationals to his name.
He made his international debut in a T20I against Scotland in Edinburgh on September 7, 2024, and played his only Test match against Sri Lanka in Galle in February 2025 under Steve Smith’s captaincy. In ODIs, he has scored 94 runs and taken six wickets, including a standout five-wicket haul against South Africa in Mackay on August 24, 2025.
Connolly was also part of Australia’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, featuring in matches against Ireland and Sri Lanka.
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