Cooper Connolly is an Australian cricketer who plays for Australia in all formats. He is a left-handed batter and a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. He plays domestic cricket for Western Australia, for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League, and for Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League.
In 2024, he was selected for Australia’s white-ball tours of Scotland and England and made his ODI and T20I debuts. He later played for Australia A against India A. He received his first Test cap against Sri Lanka in Galle in just his fourth first-class match.
Connolly captained Australia Under-19 at the 2022 World Cup. He became well known after helping Perth Scorchers win the 2022–23 BBL final in only his second T20 match. In the 2023–24 Sheffield Shield final, he scored 90 runs on his first-class debut.
Cooper Connolly Records and Achievements
Cooper Connolly was named captain of Australia’s Under-19 team for the 2022 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup and also captained Western Australia’s Under-17 team. He signed with Perth Scorchers for the 2022–23 Big Bash League and made his T20 debut on 7 January 2023. In the BBL final, he scored 25 off 11 balls to help Perth Scorchers win the title.
He made his List A debut for Western Australia on 24 September 2023 and his first-class debut on 21 March 2024 in the Sheffield Shield final, scoring 90 in the first innings. In September 2024, he made his T20I debut against Scotland and his ODI debut against England. In January 2025, he made his Test debut against Sri Lanka, receiving Baggy Green cap number 471.
Cooper Connolly Career Stats
In Tests, Cooper Connolly has played 1 match and scored 4 runs. In ODIs, he has played 8 matches and scored 94 runs, including 1 fifty. In T20Is, he has played 11 matches and scored 28 runs. In First-Class cricket, he has played 12 matches and scored 780 runs, with 9 fifties.
| Batting | ||||||
| Format | Mat | Runs | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
| Tests | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| ODIs | 8 | 94 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| T20Is | 11 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| FC | 12 | 780 | 0 | 9 | 99 | 15= |
Cooper Connolly’s Personal Life
Cooper Connolly was raised in a strong cricket environment in Western Australia. From a very young age, he was always seen with a bat and ball and often asked people for throwdowns. According to his mother, Donna, he spoke about wanting to play Test cricket when he was around six or seven years old.
He learned the game from his father, Shane Connolly, who was a former assistant coach at Scarborough in Western Australian Premier Cricket. Shane was also named Cricketer of the Year in 2004–05 by the West Australian Suburban Turf Cricket Association. His father played a key role in developing his skills from childhood.
Connolly made his Test debut at 21 in Galle, becoming only the second Australian in the past 70 years to earn a Test call-up with fewer than five first-class matches, after Pat Cummins. He received his Baggy Green cap from Simon Katich, which was a proud moment for his parents, Shane and Donna, who were present at the ground.
His parents describe him as positive and fearless in his approach, saying he always takes the game on and “won’t die wondering.”
Cooper Connolly Contract
Cooper Connolly was signed by Punjab Kings for INR 3 crore in the IPL 2026 mini-auction. He was one of four players bought by the franchise as they completed their 25-player squad.
PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer said Connolly fits the finishing role perfectly. He highlighted the youngster’s temperament and ability to close out matches as key reasons for the pick. The team believed his price could have gone higher, but secured him at INR 3 crore.
FAQs
Q. When did Cooper Connolly make his Big Bash League debut?
A. Cooper Connolly made his T20 debut for Perth Scorchers on 7 January 2023.
Q. When did Cooper Connolly make his first-class debut?
A. Cooper Connolly made his first-class debut on 21 March 2024 in the Sheffield Shield final.
Q. When did Cooper Connolly make his Test debut?
A. Cooper Connolly made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in January 2025.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
