Australia has suffered a major setback ahead of their Champions Trophy semi-final against India, losing key all-rounder Matthew Short to injury.
Skipper Steven Smith had hinted at the possibility earlier, and now his fears have come true—Short has been ruled out, not just for the semi-final but also for the final if Australia makes it through.
To replace him, Australia has called up Cooper Connolly. The young spin-bowling all-rounder was already traveling with the squad as an extra player beyond the main 15-man team.
Short’s absence is a significant blow to Australia’s chances. He played a crucial role in their tournament opener against England, scoring 63 runs while chasing a massive 352. Against Afghanistan, he contributed a quick 20 off 15 balls and bowled economically, conceding just 21 runs in 7 overs.
It was in that match against Afghanistan that Short picked up a thigh injury towards the end of the innings. Despite that, he still opened the batting. However, after the match, captain Smith admitted that the chances of Short recovering in time for the semi-final were slim.
His absence disrupts Australia’s balance, particularly on Dubai’s spin-friendly pitch, where his bowling could have been vital.
To fill the opening slot, Australia may turn to Jake Fraser-McGurk, but he won’t provide the bowling option that Short did.
Connolly, on the other hand, is now a strong contender for a place in the playing XI. The Dubai pitch has been assisting spinners throughout the tournament. In their last game against New Zealand, India played four specialist spinners, who bowled 37.3 out of 45.3 overs. Varun Chakravarthy, making his tournament debut, picked up five wickets in that match.
Although pacers Kyle Jamieson and Matt Henry found some assistance with the new ball, the pitch was clearly in favor of spinners. Australia might, therefore, pair left-arm spinning all-rounder Connolly with leg-spinner Adam Zampa to strengthen their attack.
Connolly has played three ODIs for Australia so far, scoring just 10 runs and failing to take a wicket. However, the 21-year-old is regarded as a bright prospect in Australian cricket. He made his Test debut in Sri Lanka last month and has also featured in two T20Is.
The much-anticipated semi-final between India and Australia is set for Tuesday. If Australia wins, they will have to travel back to Lahore for the final. If India triumphs, the final will be played in Dubai.
The last ODI meeting between these two teams was in the 2023 World Cup final, where Australia stunned over 100,000 spectators in Ahmedabad and millions of Indian fans worldwide to claim the title.
