Mahli Beardman: WA quick to make Australian debut in T20 clash against Pakistan

Perth Scorchers star Mahli Beardman will make his Aussie debut in a Twenty20 international against Pakistan on Thursday night.

The WA tearaway only started his trip to Lahore on Tuesday, two days after he was part of a Perth Scorchers side which claimed the club’s sixth Big Bash League title by toppling Sydney Sixers in Sunday’s final.

But the 20-year-old will make a long-awaited senior international debut as Australia take on Pakistan in the first match of a three-game series which precedes the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Beardman will be one of three international short-form debutants in his side, alongside Sixers all-rounder Jack Edwards and Brisbane Heat batter Matthew Renshaw.

He will line up alongside Scorchers teammate Cooper Connolly, while WA’s Cam Green — who opted to rest at the end of an intense Ashes summer rather than join some of his Test teammates in the BBL — is slated to bat at No.3.

The 20-year-old put together a breakout BBL campaign for Perth, claiming 13 wickets over the course of their campaign, with the competition’s form batter Steve Smith among his three in The Qualifier.

Beardman has twice been called up to senior international squads in his fledgling career — firstly for a One-Day International series in England in 2024 and again for T20 games against India last year — but did not break through to play in either.

Speaking last week, Australia’s chairman of selectors George Bailey said the WA speedster had been included in the squad for the series with “an eye to the future”.

“I like the air speed, I like the skill set he’s got, love the fact he’s had a good run of games for the Scorchers as well and performed some different roles through those games,” Bailey said.

Beardman has long been seen as an international prospect, having trained with the legendary Dennis Lillee since he was a teenager and starred for Australia’s under-19 side as they won the World Cup in 2024.

He was one of 17 players selected to head to Pakistan for a three-match T20 series, which will be packed inside four days before the squad move on to Sri Lanka to prepare for the World Cup, which they will begin against Ireland on February 11.

The speedster is not currently part of a provisional 15-player line-up for the tournament, which includes a pair of fast bowlers battling injuries in Josh Hazlewood (Achilles) and Nathan Ellis (hamstring).

Australia’s second and third games against Pakistan will be packed into a 24-hour time-span on Sunday and Monday.

The series will give some of Australia’s players another chance to take on Babar Azam, who endured a difficult BBL campaign with the Sixers and was recalled for the series early after being stumped for a two-ball duck against the Scorchers in The Qualifier.