Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly put on a stunning show of batting in his IPL debut on Tuesday in Mullanpur. Batting at No.3, Connolly smashed a half-century on debut, keeping the Punjab Kings alive in a tricky chase of 163 against the Gujarat Titans. The left-hander smashed 5 sixes during his innings, including a 103-metre maximum off Rashid Khan.
Punjab Kings lost Priyansh Arya early in their chase. Making his debut, Cooper Connolly showed no signs of struggle in a commanding innings at the crease. The Australian started off with regular boundaries, taking the Gujarat Titans pacers on with ease. When Gujarat turned to spin to break the partnership, he put Rashid Khan and Washington Sundar under pressure, keeping the scoreboard ticking. With Connolly at the crease, it seemed a straightforward chase. He kept is calm even as Punjab made the chase tricky, suffering a collapse to slip from 102/2 to 118/6. Connolly held his nerve and reached his half-century off 35 balls.