Matthew Short Ruled Out; Cooper Connolly Joins Australian Squad for Semi-Final
Australia suffered a major blow ahead of their Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final clash against India, as opener Matthew Short has been ruled out due to a calf injury sustained during their rain-affected match against Afghanistan. Short, who has been in stellar form throughout the tournament, played a key role in Australia’s record-breaking chase against England and contributed a quickfire 20 against Afghanistan despite struggling with fitness.
The Australian selectors have named 21-year-old all-rounder Cooper Connolly as Short’s replacement for the remainder of the tournament. Connolly, who was part of the squad as a travelling reserve, has played three ODIs so far but is yet to make a significant impact at the international level. Known for his left-arm orthodox spin and middle-order batting, Connolly provides Australia with an additional bowling option in what promises to be a high-stakes encounter.
Short’s absence leaves Australia needing to reshuffle their top order, with potential options including Jake Fraser-McGurk or Aaron Hardie stepping up to open alongside Travis Head. Captain Steve Smith acknowledged the challenge of replacing Short but expressed confidence in the squad’s depth to adapt and deliver under pressure.
The semi-final match will take place in Dubai on March 4.