- July 2, 2025
Cricket lovers love an underdog story, and Mitch Owen has just offered one for the ages. You might remember him standing behind George Bailey as Bailey partied with a BBL celebration back in 2015. Fast forward ten years, and Owen is no longer a bit character; he’s the lead! Owen’s rise from an unlikely figure in a hailstorm of growing fans to a storybook ending in the final of the 2025 BBL, a T20 tour around the world, and a call-up to Australia feels like pure repetition. And the best news? This is only the beginning.
From Benchwarmer to Breakout Star
For long periods there, Mitch Owen was that guy – the squad member you wouldn’t have noticed unless you were a compulsive team sheet checker. With Hobart Hurricanes across four BBL seasons, he faced 66 balls and bowled 21 overs. Franchise cricket is a lot like being a designated driver at a party, an important role, but rarely part of the fun.
Then fate took a gamble on Hobart. They rolled the dice and put Owen as an opener. And he drilled it. He scored two tons – one in the league round and one that shocked all, and secured the Hurricanes their first title in the BBL final. From a forgotten name to taking a spectacular bow with bat raised in the air, amid a raucous crowd.
The bat and gloves he used in that iconic final are now tucked away as keepsakes of history, a silent tribute to a night Hobart won’t soon forget. Owen joked, “I’ve been told not to expect it back!” That singular shot became the moment of a career that was heading towards obscurity.
T20 Passport: Stamps from SA20 to IPL to MLC
Owen’s fairytale didn’t stop there. If anything, it was the beginning of his career taking off. In just six months, he’s played in SA20 in South Africa, PSL in Pakistan, IPL in India, and MLC in the US. Owen’s whole T20 fantasy lives are changing from Herbert to lock in the dressing room with Ricky Ponting and Glenn Maxwell.
And even if a certain lifestyle seems glamorous, Owen is certainly keeping it real. He holds his parents responsible for ingraining a primary principle in him to be a good human first and cricketer second; that perspective has kept him humble, even around cricket royalty.
Highlight of the MLC came when Owen was racing at 26 off 24 in a temporary lull with the bat, and he asked Ricky Ponting if he should retire out. Ricky just chuckled, settled him down, and said, “Go find the short side”. The rest is history – an 80-odd blitz that changed the game once again, classic Owen, a pretzel start turned statement knock.
Eyes on the Baggy Green, Heart Still in Tassie
Owen may have burst onto the scene in T20, but he bleeds red-ball. His position is clear: his dream of representing the Baggy Green is very much alive. His white-ball Australia call-up for the trip to the Caribbean was a significant step forward—but that was not the endgame. He already has the Sheffield Shield schedule circled. why? Because he can’t wait to wear whites for Tasmania again and build on his red-ball credentials.
When it comes to the Baggy Green, not too many know it as intimately as Punter. With Ponting’s belief in him and support, Owen’s T20 ambitions are morphing into Test ambitions that feel more like an imminent goal rather than a far-away possibility. It is now a natural progression.
So, is Mitch Owen simply enjoying a purple patch in T20s, or are we looking at the rise of Australia’s next across-format mainstay? One thing is for sure: cricket fans will be watching with interest for his next episode.
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