Cooper Connolly Stuns IPL With 103m Six Off Rashid Khan On Debut

Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly announced his arrival in the IPL in spectacular fashion, hammering a massive 103-metre six off Rashid Khan on his debut for Punjab Kings against Gujarat Titans in Mullanpur on March 31. The 22-year-old left-hander, purchased for Rs 3 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, walked in at No. 3 and immediately looked at home in his first IPL appearance.

Rashid Khan Left Speechless

The moment that has since taken the internet by storm came on the second ball of the eighth over. Connolly met a delivery from the Afghan spin maestro with clean, powerful timing, sending it sailing 103 metres down the ground. Rashid Khan, one of the most decorated bowlers in T20 cricket, was visibly stunned — his wide-eyed reaction caught on camera and now going viral across social media platforms.

Connolly and Prabhsimran Build Crucial Partnership

Connolly did not stop there. He went on to score 47 off 30 balls, featuring two fours and four sixes, forming a key second-wicket stand of 76 runs off just 49 balls with Prabhsimran Singh. Prabhsimran contributed a brisk 37 off 24 balls, including four sixes — two coming off consecutive deliveries against Kagiso Rabada — as PBKS chased down a target of 163.

Having already represented Australia across all three international formats, Connolly’s fearless approach signals that Punjab Kings may have unearthed a genuine match-winner for IPL 2026.