Cooper Connolly's Injury Sidelines Him from T20 Series Against Pakistan

Australian cricketer Cooper Connolly fractured his hand, missing the T20 series against Pakistan. Connolly was hit by a delivery against Pakistan in an ODI match and scans confirmed a fracture. Josh Philippe will replace him. CA prioritizes test series preparation, especially against India, over short-format games.

Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly is set to miss the Twenty20 series against Pakistan after fracturing his hand. The injury occurred during the third one-day international on Sunday when Connolly was struck by a delivery from Mohammad Hasnain, forcing him to retire hurt. This development comes as a significant blow to the 21-year-old, who was only playing in his second ODI match.

Subsequent scans confirmed a fracture of the fourth metacarpal on Connolly's left hand, according to Cricket Australia. In light of the injury, Josh Philippe has been called up to replace Connolly in the squad for the T20 series, commencing in Brisbane on Thursday, with additional matches scheduled in Sydney and Hobart.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has shifted its focus towards preparing test players for the forthcoming series against India, over the short-format series versus Pakistan. Notably, Josh Inglis is the only player from the test squad to feature in the T20 matches.

(With inputs from agencies.)