Connolly Out of T20I Series Against Pakistan

All-rounder Cooper Connolly has been ruled out of the T20I series against Pakistan after fracturing his left hand. The injury occurred when he was hit by a delivery from Mohammad Hasnain during the final ODI in Perth. Attempting a pull shot on the second ball of the 17th over, Connolly was struck on the glove and initially continued to bat, facing one more ball before realising the severity of the injury. A quick evaluation by the team physio led to him leaving the field for scans, which confirmed the fracture.

A Cricket Australia (CA) representative later specified that Connolly had fractured the fourth metacarpal of his left hand and would consult a specialist in Perth on Monday. In response, New South Wales wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Philippe has been named as Connolly’s replacement for the T20I series.

The Perth Scorchers, Connolly’s Big Bash League (BBL) team, will be monitoring his recovery closely, with the BBL season starting on December 15. Connolly was expected to participate in two additional Sheffield Shield games for Western Australia before his injury.

This setback hinders Australia’s selectors in their efforts to further develop Connolly's skills ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Known for his effective finishing ability with the bat, as demonstrated with the Scorchers, and his left-arm spin—a skill rare in Australian cricket—Connolly is highly regarded. 

Connolly made his debut in September on Australia’s UK tour, appearing in two T20Is, one against Scotland and another against England, though he didn’t bat and went wicketless in his five overs. Recently, he represented Australia A in a series against India A, where he scored 37 runs in his first innings of the opening match before joining the ODI squad.