Australia's fast bowling development pipeline is still churning out world-class pacers, and the newest name making headlines is Mahli Beardman. The 20-year-old Western Australian quickie has become a sensation after receiving a call-up to the senior Australian team, having played relatively little at the professional level. Early Life and Journey to Cricket Stardom Born on 31 August 2005 in Dunsborough, Western Australia, Mahli Beardman was brought up in Margaret River. His early days in cricket started when he was noticed as a 10-year-old when he played cricket in Cowaramup. Later, his family shifted to Dampier, where his talent was noticed by the Western Australian Cricket Association (WACA). At the age of 15, Beardman relocated to Perth and attended Aquinas College, where his talent was developed further. It was here that his cricket career took a different turn when he started getting coached and guided by the great Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee. Lillee, rated by many as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time, was impressed at once by the youngster. Beardman was invited to train with the senior Australian side in preparation for their Test against the West Indies in Perth in 2022, a sign of his increasing prominence in Australian cricket. Also Read | India loses to Australia; Bartlett bags Kohli for duck Rise Through Domestic and Under-19 Cricket Mahli Beardman made his in-List A cricket debut for Western Australia against New South Wales on 4 November 2023. His first wicket was Moises Henriques, caught at mid-on after glancing off the non-striker's helmet, an early indication of his quick pace and fortune smiling on the bold. In April 2024, Beardman was awarded a rookie professional contract by Western Australia. Later on, he played his Big Bash League (BBL) for Perth Scorchers against Sydney Thunder on 13 January 2025, gaining more exposure in competitive cricket. ⏪ Throwing it back to Mahli's first BBL wicket!What a summer ahead for the young man 👏 #BBL15 #AUSvIND https://t.co/C49gVMMqiB pic.twitter.com/k35zinyl9d — KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) October 24, 2025 Breakthrough in the Under-19 World Cup Beardman really made it to the limelight in the 2024 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in South Africa. He was among the central players behind Australia's title-winning effort, combining with Callum Vidler to create a lethal new-ball attack. In the last game against India, Beardman gave a performance of a lifetime, picking 3 wickets for 15 runs from seven overs. His bowling destroyed India's batting order and got him the Player of the Match award. Through his heroics, Australia beat the favourites India by 79 runs to end a 14-year drought without the U-19 world championship title. Mahli Beardman etches his name into history books 🌟 #U19WorldCup pic.twitter.com/vfpjjZNXiu — ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 12, 2024 The win was all the more special for Australia, coming as it did after their earlier defeats to India in the 2012 and 2018 finals. The victory also furthered Australia's run of success in ICC tournaments, following their victories in the World Test Championship (2023) and ODI World Cup (2023). Also Read | Australia Tweaks ODI Squad, Maxwell Returns for T20Is Rapid Rise to the Senior Team Beardman's style, which times consistently over 140 km/h, and natural action, makes him the most thrilling young Australian bowlers. His clean action and capacity to swing the ball both ways have impressed coaches and selectors alike. In September 2024, Beardman was called-up as a reserve player for the senior Australian squad for their five-match ODI series against England. The young speedster is now included in Australia's T20I side for the last three matches of the series against India. If he continues to improve under the guidance of seasoned mentors, Mahli Beardman could well be the next big name in Australian fast bowling, matching the likes of legends Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, and Pat Cummins.