Mahli Beardman

Mahli Beardman is the kind of raw pace prospect that gets whispered about in Australian cricket circles years before their actual debut, and having Dennis Lillee as a mentor from age 15 only added to the mystique. His breakout moment arrived on the biggest junior stage possible, spearheading Australia's triumphant 2024 ICC Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup campaign in South Africa.

He took 10 wickets, saving his very best for the final against India in Benoni, where a Player of the Match spell of 3 for 15 in seven overs helped bowl Australia to the title. That kind of tournament performance did not go unnoticed; by September 2024, having played just a single senior List A match, he was called up as a standby reserve bowler for Australia's senior ODI tour of England.

Beardman made his List A debut for Western Australia in November 2023 against New South Wales, announcing himself immediately by removing Moises Henriques with an early bouncer. He signed with the Perth Scorchers ahead of BBL 14 and made his Big Bash debut in January 2025. He then grew into a genuine strike weapon during their BBL 15 campaign, headlined by a match-winning spell of 3/20 in the Qualifier against the Sydney Sixers where he removed Steve Smith, before backing it up with 2/29 in the final at Perth Stadium.

His official senior international breakthrough arrived on January 29, 2026, with his T20I debut against Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, where he delivered a fiery opening spell of 2 for 33. Following his international debut, Beardman extended his contract with the Perth Scorchers and was upgraded to a senior Western Australia state contract.

Heading into the 2026-27 domestic summer, he featured in Western Australia's Marsh One-Day Cup fixtures at the WACA. Beardman looks every bit the central figure in Australia's next wave of fast-bowling talent, marking a rapid rise from junior World Cup hero to senior international inside two years.