Mahli Beardman Joins Special List Of Australian Cricketers With POTM Win On ODI Debut

Mayank

Mahli Beardman picked 6-fer on ODI debut [Source: AFP]

Australia’s newest pace-bowling sensation introduced himself at the ODI stage on his remarkable debut performance against England in Perth. The Western Australian pacer clinched the player of the match award after running through the visitors’ batting lineup.

Courtesy of his first-innings bowling effort, the Aussies chased the 132-run target in 23.3 overs, wrapping things up early. He subsequently joined an exclusive list of Australians to be awarded Player of the Match on debut.

Beardman’s impressive debut adds him to an exclusive list

By the end of the first innings, England were bundled for an underwhelming 131 runs after some resistance from the lower-order. Beardman, who scalped his five-fer in just 28 deliveries, came back for another spell and became only the third player from ICC Full Member nations to claim a 6-fer on debut.

The 21-year-old became only the 10th of 255 ODI Australian players to be adjudged player of the match. Below is the list of players to achieve this feat previously.

Meet Mahli Beardman, Australian Pacer Who Ran Through England On ODI Debut

Australians to win POTM on ODI debut:

Merv Hughes
Brendon Julian
Stuart MacGill
Mark Cosgrove
Shaun Marsh
George Bailey
Matthew Wade
Phillip Hughes
Xavier Bartlett

Notably, almost everyone on the above list has had a good career for Australia and with Australia finding themselves in the middle of a transition, Beardman could become a mainstay for the long term.

Beardman on the rise

Hailing from South of Perth, Mahli Beardman has had a lot of eyeballs on him in his young career. He is one of the disciples of the great Dennis Lillee and was Australia U19’s standout bowler in the U19 World Cup win in 2024.

At 21, he is already a capped T20I and ODI player, and despite some back issues earlier in the year, he returned and straightaway picked a four-fer against India A in their tour of Puducherry, which earned him an ODI cap.

Beardman is also a crucial cog in the Perth Scorchers team, who lifted the recent BBL title and moving ahead, he could be among the names heading to South Africa for the World Cup 2027.