Perth Scorchers stars unlikely to feature in first match of Australia’s Twenty20 series against Pakistan

Mahli Beardman is a near-certainty to make his international debut in an upcoming Twenty20 series against Pakistan, but a tight turnaround from the Big Bash League final means the WA tearaway is unlikely to feature in the opening game on Thursday. The 20-year-old, who claimed 13 wickets in a breakout BBL campaign as Perth Scorchers claimed their sixth title, was part of the club’s second day of celebrations on Monday before departing to link up with the Australian squad for the pre-T20 World Cup fixtures late on Tuesday. His pending arrival in Pakistan on the eve of the three-game series after a travel load made up of a 14-hour flight to Dubai and a further few hours on to Lahore means he is likely to be held back for the final two games, which will be played inside a 24-hour span across Sunday and Monday. Beardman is one of four Scorchers in a 17-player squad for the series alongside Mitch Marsh, Josh Inglis and Cooper Connolly but is not in a 15-player provisional line-up for the World Cup, which Australia will begin on February 11. Fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood (calf) and Nathan Ellis (hamstring) are not part of the squad for the Pakistan fixtures as they work to overcome injuries, but are slated to return for the World Cup. Marsh and Inglis are also considered unlikely to play on Thursday, with the likely absence of Australia’s white-ball captain Marsh meaning Travis Head is in line to lead the country for just the second time. The Scorchers’ championship-winning squad has now broken up, with the competition’s leading run-scorer Finn Allen making his way to India to link up with New Zealand ahead of the World Cup and English imports Laurie Evans and David Payne heading home. WA’s domestic season will resume with a Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania at the WACA Ground on February 5. Some Scorchers players may feature in Premier Cricket on Saturday as part of their tune-up for red-ball cricket, but their availability is still being determined.