Who is Cooper Connolly? Aussie Star SMASHES 72* on IPL Debut to Rescue Punjab Kings

Did you SEE what Cooper Connolly did on Tuesday night? This 23-year-old Australian played his FIRST IPL match and scored 72 NOT OUT off 44 balls to rescue Punjab Kings from a COLLAPSE! PBKS was 118/6, looking DEAD, then Connolly came and WON the match! Let me tell you everything about this new STAR!

What Happened in PBKS vs GT?

Punjab Kings were chasing 163 runs against the Gujarat Titans. They started WELL – 83/1 in 8 overs! Then DISASTER! They lost 5 wickets for 35 runs and became 118/6 in 13 overs!

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Priyansh Arya – out

Prabhsimran Singh – out

Shreyas Iyer – out

Marcus Stoinis – out

Shashank Singh – out

PBKS was in BIG trouble! 45 runs needed from 42 balls, only 4 wickets left. And then… COOPER CONNOLLY happened!

Cooper Connolly's MAGIC Innings

Connolly came to bat at No. 7. He played CALMLY at first – taking singles, rotating strike. Then, when he settled, he started HITTING!

His innings: 72 not out off 44 balls

6 fours

4 sixes

Strike rate: 163.63

Key moments:

14th over vs Rashid Khan: Connolly hit 2 fours! Rashid was shocked!

16th over vs Kagiso Rabada: Connolly hit SIX over long-on!

17th over vs Prasidh Krishna: Connolly hit SIX over midwicket!

19th over vs Mohammed Siraj: Connolly hit FOUR to win the match!

He added 47 runs with Harpreet Brar (who scored 21) and took PBKS to victory in 19.1 overs!

Player of Match: Cooper Connolly! On IPL DEBUT!

Jeet gaye bhai, good night! 😴 https://t.co/Aa13Ulvg4s pic.twitter.com/NYKX12DHgw
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 31, 2026

Who is Cooper Connolly?

Now let me tell you about this NEW Australian star!

Detail	Information
Name	Cooper Connolly
Born	2003 (22-23 years old)
From	Perth, Australia
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Left-arm orthodox spin
Role	All-rounder
IPL Team	Punjab Kings (bought for Rs 3 crore)
Coach	Ricky Ponting (former Australia captain!)
Early Career	Cooper Connolly was a cricket star from a young age!

2022: Captain of the Australia U-19 team in the ODI World Cup!

2023: Made his Big Bash League (BBL) debut for Perth Scorchers

Feb 2023: In the BBL FINAL, he scored 25 off 11 balls (2 sixes!) to help Perth win the title! He was only 19!

2024: First Class debut for Western Australia – scored 90 in his FIRST innings!

Sept 2024: White-ball debut for Australia vs England and Scotland

Feb 2025: Test debut for Australia vs Sri Lanka!

Format	Matches	Runs	Wickets
Tests	1	4	–
ODIs	8	94	6
T20Is	11	28	3

He is still YOUNG and learning! But he has ALREADY played all three formats for Australia!

Who is His Idol?

Connolly modeled himself after former Australian batter Shaun Marsh! Shaun Marsh also played for Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) and scored 500+ runs in IPL 2008!

Connolly said: “Shaun Marsh was my hero growing up. He played for the same team (Perth Scorchers) and was so stylish. I will try to copy his batting.”

How Did PBKS Get Connolly?

In December 2025, the Punjab Kings bought Cooper Connolly for INR 3 crore in the IPL mini-auction. His base price was only Rs 50 lakh, but PBKS saw something SPECIAL in him!

PBKS coach Ricky Ponting (former Australia captain) knew Connolly from Australian cricket. Ponting trusted him and gave him his IPL debut in the FIRST match of the season!

Why is Connolly SPECIAL?

He is CALM under pressure – In BBL final 2023, he was 19 years old and hit winning runs! In IPL debut, same thing!

He can bowl left-arm spin – He took 3 wickets in ODIs and 2 in T20Is. PBKS may use his bowling later!

He can BAT anywhere – He played at No. 7 in this match, but he can open or bat in the middle order too!

He LEARNS fast – From U19 captain to Test debut in 3 years! That’s FAST growth!

What People Said About Connolly?

Ricky Ponting (PBKS coach) after the match:

“We knew Cooper was special. That’s why we bought him. He has the temperament for big moments. Today he showed that.”

Shreyas Iyer (PBKS captain):

“Cooper is a match-winner. When we were 118/6, he stayed calm. He took us home. Amazing debut.”

Cooper Connolly after the match:

“I can’t believe it. My first IPL match, and I got Player of the Match! I just wanted to play my natural game. Ricky bhai told me to trust myself. I did.”

Former Australia captain Michael Clarke on social media:

“Cooper Connolly is the real deal. Keep watching this.”

Ominous start. Bright signs. Iconic Aussies. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/t2XBkcEU4L
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) April 1, 2026

Cometh the hour, cometh Connor 🔥 pic.twitter.com/wcSxVqaaoy
— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 31, 2026

What's Next for Connolly?

Connolly will play more matches for PBKS in IPL 2026. He may also bowl his left-arm spin in the middle overs.

If he continues this form, he will become REGULAR for Australia in T20Is and ODIs. He is only 23 – his BEST cricket is still AHEAD!

As the tournament progresses, teams will be looking to build momentum and strengthen their chances of lifting the trophy. In fact, if you’re wondering which side has the best shot at going all the way this season, check out our detailed analysis on why Royal Challengers Bengaluru could successfully defend their IPL title. It gives deeper insights into their squad strength, key players, and winning strategy for IPL 2026.

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