MAL won by 6 wickets

88/4

87/6

NEP won by 6 runs

289/7

248/8

May 1, 2026 12:30 pm

United States of America Women

62/4

GER won by 162 runs

308/1

146/10

JER won by 6 wickets

92/10

93/4

Day 1 - Surrey trail by 339 runs.

Surrey

19/0

Sussex

358/9d

Fixtures > Table >

Day 1 - Hampshire elected to bowl

Hampshire

Glamorgan

353/1

Fixtures > Table >

Day 1 - Somerset elected to bowl

Somerset

Yorkshire

140/5

Fixtures > Table >

Day 1 - Leicestershire elected to bowl

Leicestershire

Nottinghamshire

404/4

Fixtures > Table >

Innings Break : Day 1 - Derbyshire trail by 328 runs.

Kent

352/10

Derbyshire

24/0

Fixtures > Table >

Stumps : Day 1 - Northamptonshire trail by 266 runs.

Northamptonshire

40/0

Worcestershire

306/10

Fixtures > Table >

Day 1 - Middlesex elected to bat

Middlesex

143/4

Durham

Fixtures > Table >

NEP-W won by 8 wickets

36/6

40/2

GER won by 4 wickets

165/6

163/7

HK won by 2 runs

184/7

186/5

DC won by 7 wickets

225/6

226/3

May 2, 2026 7:30 am

May 2, 2026 10:00 am

May 2, 2026 1:00 pm

May 2, 2026 1:30 pm

All

Punjab Kings Young Star Flies to Australia for Bowling Fitness Clearance After Pat Cummins Exit

by K D Mishra April 22, 2026

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Cooper Connolly has been one of the most unexpected finds of IPL 2026 for Punjab Kings. At only 22 years old, Connolly scored an impressive unbeaten 72 to help PBKS defeat Gujarat Titans.

Cooper Connolly Returns to Australia for Fitness Check After Strong IPL 2026 Performances for Punjab Kings

Despite some poor performances, Connolly bounced back in his recent game against Lucknow Super Giants. Initially, he struggled with scoring 19 runs off 22 balls but then batted aggressively and finished with 87 runs off 46 balls. For his last 24 balls, Connolly scored 68 runs rapidly. Connolly’s elevation in the batting order before Shreyas Iyer paid off handsomely for the franchise.

Unfortunately, a day before their upcoming clash against Delhi Capitals, Connolly has returned to Australia. Connolly took to social media to share this development without giving any reasons behind the decision.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

Punjab Kings star Cooper Connolly flies to Perth for urgent back scans 🇦🇺✈️

Expected to rejoin the squad in Delhi by tomorrow night; likely available vs DC on Saturday 🏏🔥

Relief for PBKS fans ❤️#PBKS #PunjabKings #IPL2026 #cooperconnolly #shreyasiyer pic.twitter.com/ydzJLIV5hH
— Harinder singh brar (@harry7081) April 22, 2026

The most probable cause might be his bowling fitness level. Connolly is an all-rounder player who can bowl spin. He had taken 15 wickets while playing for Perth Scorchers. However, in IPL, he could not play due to his back injury. He was advised by Cricket Australia to only bat until April end.

Since the deadline has now arrived, he must have gone for fitness tests, which we saw Pat Cummins do some days ago. If everything turns out fine, then Connolly will surely make a comeback in very short time, maybe even before their upcoming match against Delhi.

IPL 2026 Stats

Stat	Value
Team	Punjab Kings
Innings	5
Runs	223
Average	55.75
Strike Rate	163.97
50s	2
Highest Score	87

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by Shekhar April 22, 2026

LastModified Date: 2026-04-22 23:42:16

FAQs

Q. Why did Cooper Connolly leave PBKS during IPL 2026?

Connolly returned to Australia to complete his bowling fitness tests as advised by Cricket Australia due to a back injury.

K D Mishra

I am a dedicated sports content writer who loves cricket and enjoys creating friendly and engaging content. I write about big moments, player performances, and match stories in simple and clear words, helping fans stay informed and connected to cricket around the world.