India, April 1 -- Punjab Kings batter Cooper Connolly reflected on his dream IPL debut after delivering a match-winning performance against the Gujarat Titans, guiding the Punjab Kings to a thrilling victory. Connolly hit an unbeaten 72 off 44 balls, which helped PBKS chase down 163 runs. They finished at 165/7 in 19.1 overs, winning by three wickets in Mullanpur.

The 22-year-old came in early after a top-order wobble and showed amazing calmness. He hit boundaries at key times and kept the innings going even as wickets fell at the other end. He won the Player of the Match award for his aggressive strokeplay and calm decision-making during his knock.

Speaking on JioHotstar, Connolly admitted to feeling pre-match nerves but saw them as a ...