Australian cricket unveiled its newest fast-bowling sensation in sensational fashion on Friday, November 13, 2026, as 21-year-old Western Australian quick Mahli Beardman tore through England’s batting lineup on his One-Day International debut at Optus Stadium in Perth. Producing a ferocious display of raw pace and steep bounce in front of his home crowd, Beardman returned extraordinary figures of 6 for 24 in 7.4 overs, single-handedly orchestrating an English batting collapse for 131 all out before Australia cruised to a comfortable seven-wicket victory in the series opener.
At just 21 years and 74 days old, Beardman not only became the youngest Australian bowler ever to claim a five-wicket haul in men’s ODIs (surpassing Cooper Connolly’s 2025 mark), but also shattered a 38-year-old national record for the best bowling figures by an Australian on ODI debut—a performance immediately celebrated by cricket fans from Perth and Melbourne to Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, Delhi, and Mumbai.
Six Big Scalps: How Beardman Dismantled England’s Batting Order
Introduced into the attack on a lively Perth surface after Australia opted to bowl first, Beardman wasted zero time announcing himself on the international stage. Blending skiddy pace with sharp seam movement, he systematically dismantled England’s middle and lower order:
Harry Brook (1st Wicket): Beardman claimed his maiden international scalp by removing England’s white-ball captain.
Joe Root (2nd Wicket): Playing in his landmark 200th ODI, Root was caught behind off Beardman for 17.
Jordan Cox (3rd Wicket): Edged behind to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis for 2 as England slumped to 56/5.
Sam Curran (4th Wicket): Caught by Adam Zampa for a duck just two runs later at 58/6.
Liam Dawson (5th Wicket): Completed Beardman’s historic maiden ODI five-for as England plunged to 63/7 in the 18th over.
Jofra Archer (6th Wicket): Returning in the 34th over, Beardman induced a thick edge to gully (caught by Jack Edwards for 11) to wrap up the innings and seal 6/24.
Speaking after earning Player of the Match honors, an emotional Beardman—who recently overcame a six-to-eight-month stress injury—admitted it all unfolded in a blur, naming captain Harry Brook as his favorite dismissal for taking the debut nerves off his shoulders.
Shattering Tony Dodemaide’s 1988 Australian Record and Joining an Elite Global Club
Before Friday afternoon in Perth, Tony Dodemaide stood alone as the only Australian male bowler to capture a five-wicket haul on ODI debut—having taken 5 for 21 in 7.2 overs against Sri Lanka at the WACA in 1988. By finishing with 6 for 24, Beardman became just the second Australian man to take a debut ODI five-for and the very first to claim six wickets.
On the all-time global chart for best bowling figures on men’s ODI debut, Beardman’s spell ranks fourth in cricket history:
| Rank | Bowler | Country | Opposition | Venue & Year | Figures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlie Cassell | Scotland | Oman | Dundee, 2024 | 7/21 |
| 2 | Kagiso Rabada | South Africa | Bangladesh | Mirpur, 2015 | 6/16 |
| 3 | Fidel Edwards | West Indies | Zimbabwe | Harare, 2003 | 6/22 |
| 4 | Mahli Beardman | Australia | England | Perth, Nov 13, 2026 | 6/24 |
| 5 | Jan Frylinck | Namibia | Oman | Windhoek, 2019 | 5/13 |
| 6 | Tony Dodemaide | Australia | Sri Lanka | Perth (WACA), 1988 | 5/21 |
England Slumps to 131—Lowest Men’s ODI Total Ever at Perth Stadium
Beardman’s rampage also inflicted an unwanted venue record on the visitors. Bundled out for 131 in 33.4 overs, England recorded the lowest men’s ODI innings total ever posted at Optus Stadium in Perth, eclipsing the previous mark of 140 set by Australia against Pakistan at the same venue in November 2024. Chasing 132, Australia raced across the finish line with seven wickets in hand—giving Mitchell Marsh’s side a commanding 1–0 series lead and signaling the arrival of a thrilling new pace star in Australian cricket.