Perth Scorchers star Cooper Connolly has been rewarded for a fine start to the Big Bash League season with a place in Australia’s squad for the T20 World Cup.
Connolly, who has smashed 170 runs and taken five wickets across four games for the Scorchers so far this season, shapes as the bolter in a 15-player squad for the tournament, which will be staged across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
The spin-bowling all-rounder has played six Twenty20 internationals, the most recent of which came on a tour of the West Indies in July.
Connolly is one of three Scorchers selected for the World Cup alongside Mitch Marsh and Josh Inglis, while West Australian all-rounder Cam Green — who does not currently have a BBL contract — has also been included in the squad.
Australia have opted to go with a spin-heavy set-up for the subcontinent conditions, with Connolly coming in as one of four slow bowling options alongside Adam Zampa, Matthew Kuhnemann and Matthew Short.
Marsh has retained the captaincy of the side despite the return of Test captain Pat Cummins, who has not played a Twenty20 international since Australia exited the 2024 World Cup in the Super Eights, to the short-form squad.
Cummins, who returned from a bout of bone stress in his back to feature as Australia clinched The Ashes in Adelaide before being ruled out for the remainder of the series, is one of three players in the squad under an injury cloud, alongside Josh Hazlewood and Tim David.
Hazlewood has been sidelined for the enterity of The Ashes due to hamstring and achilles problems, while David has been ruled out of the remainder of the BBL after suffering a hamstring strain in Hobart Hurricanes’ win over the Scorchers on Boxing Day.
Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey said the squad would be well suited to confront “the variety of conditions Sri Lanka and India may present”.
“Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Tim David are tracking well and we are confident they will be available for the World Cup,” Bailey said.
“This is a preliminary squad so should changes need to be made they will ahead of the support period.
“A squad for the three game T20 Series against Pakistan which precedes the World Cup will be named at a later date.”
Australia squad: Mitch Marsh (captain), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Short, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa
https://thewest.com.au/sport/cricket/perth-scorchers-star-cooper-connolly-rewarded-for-fine-start-to-bbl-season-with-place-in-t20-world-cup-squad-c-21175216
