Australia replaces Short with young all-rounder before semi-final

Photo : PTI

Australia has changed its team before the Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against India. Matt Short is injured and cannot play, so young all-rounder Cooper Connolly will take his place. Short hurt his calf during the match against Afghanistan and was unable to run properly. After the game, captain Steve Smith said that Short’s injury was serious, and he might not recover in time. "He is struggling. He was not moving well today, and there is not enough time for him to get better before the next match," Smith said.

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Since Short cannot play, Australia has added Cooper Connolly to the team. Connolly was a backup player traveling with the squad. He is 20 years old, bats with his left hand, and also bowls left-arm spin. Connolly has played six matches for Australia, including three one-day internationals. His selection gives Australia a young and talented player who can bat and bowl.

Australia finished second in Group B and will now face India in the semi-final in Dubai on Tuesday, March 4. The other semi-final will be between New Zealand and South Africa in Lahore on Wednesday, March 5. The winners of both matches will play in the final on Sunday, March 9. The final match’s location is not confirmed yet.

Australia’s full squad for the semi-final includes:
Steve Smith (captain), Sean Abbott, Alex Carey, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Aaron Hardie, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Spencer Johnson, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Tanveer Sangha, and Adam Zampa.