Cooper Connally’s Fiery Fifty Leads Australia to Victory Over India in 2nd ODI

Matt Short and Cooper Connolly played important half-centuries to help Australia defeat India by two wickets at Adelaide Oval on Thursday, securing a series win at home. With this victory, Australia leads 2-0 in the three-match series, with one game left to play. India posted a competitive total of 264/9, with Rohit Sharma scoring 73 off 96 balls, including seven fours and two sixes, and Shreyas Iyer contributing 61 from 77 balls with seven fours. A late 37-run partnership between Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh added some extra runs. In response, Short (74 in 78 balls, four fours, two sixes) and Connolly (61 in 53 balls, five fours, one six) steadied the innings, while Mitchell Owen’s quick 36 off 23 balls (two fours, three sixes) sealed the win for Australia.

Australia’s Steady Chase

In the run chase of 265, Australian openers Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head started cautiously. The first boundary came from Head in the seventh over, a six off Mohammed Siraj. India’s opening bowlers, Arshdeep Singh and Siraj, made it difficult early on. Arshdeep soon removed Marsh for 11 runs from 24 balls, leaving Australia 30/1 after 7.2 overs. Matt Short joined Head and hit a six off Arshdeep to finish the powerplay at 42/1 in 10 overs. Australia reached 50 in 11.1 overs, but Head was dismissed by Harshit Rana for 28, caught by Virat Kohli at mid-off. Australia slipped to 54/2 in 12.2 overs.

Key Partnerships and Crucial Wickets

Short combined with Matt Renshaw to rotate strike and hit boundaries off Nitish Kumar Reddy. They took Australia past 100 runs in 19.3 overs. Renshaw was then dismissed by Axar Patel for 30, leaving Australia at 109/3. Short reached his fifty from 48 balls. Spinner Washington Sundar removed Alex Carey for nine, putting Australia at 132/4 in 27 overs. Connolly kept scoring easily against the spinners and brought up the 150-run mark in 31.4 overs. Short and Connolly’s partnership reached 50 runs in 51 balls before Harshit Rana caught Short for 74. Australia was 187/5 in 36 overs. Owen then hit 36 off 23 balls, taking Australia past 200, and Connolly completed his maiden fifty in 42 balls.

Final Overs Drama

Australia lost a few more wickets as Xavier Bartlett and Siraj struck, but they kept the target within reach. Owen was dismissed for 36, leaving Australia 246/6 in 42.3 overs. Bartlett removed another batsman, and Starc fell to Siraj. Australia eventually chased down 265 in 46.2 overs. Sundar (2/37) and Arshdeep (2/41) were India’s top bowlers, while Harshit Rana took two wickets but went for 59 runs in eight overs. Earlier, India’s innings saw strong contributions from Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer. After early wickets, Rana and Arshdeep added 37 runs for the ninth wicket to take India to 264/9. Rohit’s 73 off 96 balls included his 59th ODI fifty, while Iyer made 61. Bartlett and Zampa took important wickets, but late runs from Harshit and Arshdeep helped India post a respectable total.