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Mahli Beardman is a young fast bowler from Western Australia who was already winning World Cup finals for Australia before most fans had heard his name. He took 3 wickets for 15 runs in the final of the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup to help Australia beat India and win the title, earning Player of the Match honours in the process. That form fast-tracked him into professional cricket, first with Perth Scorchers in the BBL and later into Australia’s senior T20I side, where he made his official debut against Pakistan in January 2026. Mentored personally by fast bowling great Dennis Lillee from the age of 15, Beardman is already regarded as one of the most promising young quicks in the country, capable of bowling consistently above 140 kilometres per hour.

This guide covers his rise from small-town Western Australia to a World Cup-winning final performance, his path into the BBL, and every number from his List A, T20 and senior international career so far.

Full Biography at a Glance

Field	Details
Full Name	Mahli Beardman
Born	31 August 2005, Dunsborough, Western Australia, Australia
Age	20
Batting Style	Right handed
Bowling Style	Right-arm fast medium
Playing Role	Bowler
Hometown	Cowaramup, with time also spent in Dampier
School	Aquinas College, Perth
Mentor	Dennis Lillee, from age 15
Domestic Team	Western Australia
BBL Team	Perth Scorchers
T20I Debut	29 January 2026, vs Pakistan

How Did Mahli Beardman Learn Fast Bowling From Dennis Lillee?

Beardman grew up in Cowaramup in Western Australia’s southwest, also spending time in Dampier alongside fellow young WA quick Josh Vernon. He later moved to Perth and attended Aquinas College, and it was around this time, at just 15 years old, that he came under the mentorship of Australian fast bowling great Dennis Lillee. Having one of the finest pace bowlers in the sport’s history guiding his development early on is a big part of why Beardman was able to progress so quickly, and why he is already capable of bowling consistently above 140 kilometres per hour despite his slight frame.

How Did Mahli Beardman Win Player of the Match in the Under-19 World Cup Final?

Beardman’s biggest moment so far came at the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa. He was outstanding throughout the tournament, taking 10 wickets at an average of 10.50 across six appearances, and he saved his best for the final against India at Willowmoore Park in Benoni.

Chasing to defend Australia’s total of 253, India were rattled early, and Beardman played a central role, dismissing India’s captain Uday Saharan among his victims and finishing with figures of 3 wickets for 15 runs from 7 overs as Australia won by 79 runs to claim their fourth Under 19 World Cup title. He was named Player of the Match for his performance, a nice piece of history given that Australian great Josh Hazlewood had earned the same Player of the Match honour in his own Under-19 World Cup final back in 2010.

How Did Mahli Beardman Nearly Make His Australian Debut a Year Early?

Beardman’s World Cup final performance did not go unnoticed at senior selection level. In September 2024, with several frontline quicks unavailable or resting, Australian selectors sprang a surprise by naming the then 19-year-old, who had only played one senior professional match at the time, as a standby reserve pace bowler for an ODI series in England. Beardman later said he found out about the call-up and had to rush to the airport within hours, and he spoke about being excited to soak up knowledge from bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood during his time with the squad. He did not play in that series, remaining a reserve throughout, but the call-up was still a clear signal of how highly he was already rated inside Australian cricket.

How Did Mahli Beardman Break Into the BBL With Perth Scorchers?

Beardman signed a two-year Big Bash League deal with Perth Scorchers covering BBL|14 and BBL|15, having already earned a rookie contract with Western Australia ahead of the 2023 24 domestic season. He made his List A debut for the state in November 2023, dismissing New South Wales captain Moises Henriques for his first senior wicket, then backed that up with a strong 2 for 29 in a One Day Cup final victory against Sydney Sixers less than a week later.

His BBL debut came late in BBL|14, against Sydney Thunder, and he became a regular member of the Scorchers attack during a successful BBL|15 campaign, quickly establishing himself as one of the most exciting young quicks in the competition. Some observers have already compared his development to that of nationally contracted Scorchers teammate Jhye Richardson.

How Did Mahli Beardman Make His Official Australian Debut?

After building his reputation through the BBL and Australia’s under-age pathway, Beardman earned a genuine senior call-up for Australia’s 2026 tour of Pakistan. He made his official T20I debut in the opening match of that three-game series on 29 January 2026, taking figures of 2 wickets for 33 runs and finally turning his long-standing potential into a full Australian appearance, unlike his near-miss reserve role back in 2024.

What Do Mahli Beardman’s Career Stats Look Like?

Stats are current as of the most recent figures available.

Bowling Record

Format	Matches	Wickets	Best Bowling	Average	Economy	Strike Rate
T20I	1	2	2/33	16.50	8.25	12.0
List A	6	14	4/46	19.50	5.91	19.7
Domestic T20 (Total)	14	18	3/17	20.00	8.00	15.0

Batting Record

Format	Innings	Runs	Highest Score	Average	Strike Rate
List A	4	9	5	3.00	32.14
Domestic T20 (Total)	2	2	2	2.00	33.33

As a specialist fast bowler, Beardman’s job has never been about his batting, and his numbers reflect a player picked purely for his ability with the new ball.

What Is Mahli Beardman’s BBL Only Record?

Since his combined domestic T20 total above includes one non BBL appearance, his BBL only numbers with Perth Scorchers give the clearest picture of his franchise cricket so far.

Matches	Wickets	Best Bowling	Average	Economy	Strike Rate	Overs Bowled
13	16	3/17	20.44	7.98	15.38	41

Sixteen wickets from just 13 BBL matches at an economy under 8 is a strong return for a bowler still in the very early stages of his professional career, and it lines up closely with the raw pace and control that first caught the attention of Australian selectors.

What Records and Highlights Does Mahli Beardman Hold?

• Player of the Match in the 2024 Under-19 Cricket World Cup final, taking 3 wickets for 15 runs against India
• Took 10 wickets at an average of 10.50 across Australia’s title-winning 2024 Under-19 World Cup campaign
• Matched a Player of the Match honour in an Under-19 World Cup final previously achieved by Josh Hazlewood
• Named as a standby reserve for Australia’s senior ODI squad in September 2024, before he had played a full international match
• Signed a two-year BBL deal with Perth Scorchers covering BBL|14 and BBL|15
• Made his official senior international debut for Australia in a T20I against Pakistan in January 2026
• Mentored by Australian fast bowling great Dennis Lillee from the age of 15

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