Mahli Beardman is a tall right-arm fast bowler from Western Australia who has been rated among the most exciting young pace prospects in the country. Tall, athletic, and capable of generating a sharp bounce, Beardman has already shown signs that he could become a key figure in Australia’s next generation of fast bowlers.

The 2005-born bowler first came to prominence through school and regional cricket, where his raw pace quickly set him apart from his peers. He represented Western Australia at underage levels and was a consistent performer in youth tournaments, often spearheading the attack. 

In the quaint town of Cowaramup in Western Australia, Beardman used to consistently bowl with tape balls at whatever place he could find that was big enough for his run-up. A family friend saw the young chap and, through him, the latter got in touch with none other but Australia's legendary pacer Dennis Lillee. At the age of 15, Beardman started working with Lille,e and that has definitely polished the former's skill-set. 

“From Lillee, I learnt a lot of mental stuff and tried to implement that as much as I can...He got me thinking about my bowling instead of just bowling, thinking about my field setting and then from there working on mental things – little cues like going head, and then going toes next ball.," Beardman said in an interview. 

His rise gathered momentum when he was selected in Australia’s squad for the 2022 Under-19 World Cup in the West Indies. Beardman made an immediate impact in the tournament, bowling with pace and accuracy on slow surfaces that often didn’t suit fast bowlers. His standout spell came against Scotland, where he ripped through the top order with figures of 3 for 15, showing his ability to swing the new ball and rush batters with bounce. Australia’s campaign ended in the semi-finals, but Beardman’s performances cemented his reputation as one to watch.

He got recognition when he impressed everyone with his bowling at the 2024 U-19 World Cup in South Africa. Beardman took 10 wickets in six games, but it was his match-winning spell of 15/3 against India in the final that impressed everyone. He was adjudged the player of the match in the final.

Back home, he continued his development with Western Australia, featuring in Second XI cricket and gaining exposure in training alongside established Shield and Big Bash bowlers. 

He made his List A debut in November 2023, while the T20 debut came in January 2025 in a Big Bash League game. In the 2025-26 season, Beardman will feature again for the Perth Scorchers. Only in his second Big Bash game, Beardman took 3/17 against the Adelaide Strikers. 

"I grew up watching the Scorchers both at the WACA Ground and Optus Stadium. The atmosphere of 50,000 people and the energy at Optus is something so special and to potentially have the opportunity to be immersed in that is so exciting," he said in an interview. 

Notably, in September 2024, Beardman was even named as a standby bowler for Australia for the away ODI series against England. He was considered because of his performance at the U-19 World Cup and his ability to bowl at more than 140 kph. 

With his pace, height, and ability to move the ball, he is regarded as one of the brightest fast-bowling prospects in Australian cricket, and many believe it is only a matter of when—not if—he breaks into senior state and national teams.

(As of November 2025)