New Delhi, April 1 (IANS) After dazzling with a match-winning 72 on his IPL debut to give Punjab Kings a three-wicket win over Gujarat Titans, batting all-rounder Cooper Connolly said head coach Ricky Ponting’s guidance helped him stay calm and collected, which in turn cooled down the nerves he had on the morning of the clash.

Connolly struck an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls and held his nerve in a chase of 163 after PBKS suffered a middle-order wobble. “I woke up in the morning with a little bit of nerves, which I was really happy about, but yeah, I was really looking forward to getting out there and playing my part the best I can.

“Ricky Ponting just kept me calm and collected. He told me to play my game, go out there and dominate. It was a nice team performance. We were very strong with the ball and made things easier for ourselves. It was a really good day for us.

“I was looking forward to spending time out in the middle with Shreyas Iyer and just sort of picking his brains a little bit. He’s a world-class player. I’ve played a little bit of cricket with him for Australia A and Australia. He is a great player for a reason, and hopefully, I can learn as much as I can,” said Connolly on JioHotstar.

Connolly’s successful debut for PBKS carried similarities of how his childhood hero Shaun Marsh fared in his very first IPL game. Both began their IPL journeys with PBKS, marked their first appearance with half-centuries, and came in successful run chases. Both stayed unbeaten to see their side home, and were named Player of the Match for their efforts.

In emulating Marsh, Connolly announced himself on the IPL stage with a bang. “It was a nice moment when I got picked up. Shaun Marsh was the first person I spoke to about it and he gave me some good words. Growing up, I played at Western Australia with him for a long period of time and he has always been good to me.

“I looked up to him as a mentor and an idol and really enjoyed spending some time with him. It’s nice to be among the runs. There are still plenty of games to go and I am really looking forward to the rest of the tournament,” he added.

–IANS

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