Glamorgan sign Sri Lanka bowler Fernando
Sri Lanka bowler Asitha Fernando took 5-102 in the second Test against England at Lord's last August
- Published
Glamorgan have signed Sri Lanka pace bowler Asitha Fernando for the start of the 2025 season.
The 27-year-old will join the Welsh county for the first seven County Championship Division Two games, subject to a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket.
A frontline bowler in all three formats of the game, Fernando will add firepower to Glamorgan's attack.
"I would like to thank Glamorgan Cricket so much for this opportunity. I am extremely thrilled to be a part of Glamorgan and to return to the county cricket scene this year," Fernando said.
"My last stint helped me to improve my game a lot. I am looking forward to playing with Mason [Crane], Colin [Ingram] and all of the Glamorgan team and am hoping to do my very best during the upcoming season."
Fernando made his international debut in Sri Lanka's one day international against Zimbabwe in July 2017, with his Test bow coming against South Africa in January 2021.
In the second match of the May 2022 series against Bangladesh, he took his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket with figures of 6-51 in the second innings, which were preceded by four wickets in the first innings.
He made his T20I debut in September 2022 against Bangladesh.
In August 2024, Fernando took his second five-wicket haul (5-102) in the second Test against England at Lord's, becoming only the second Sri Lankan bowler - following Rumesh Ratnayake - to have his name etched on to the Lord's honours board.
That feat lifted him to eighth in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) Test bowling rankings.
Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace said: "We're delighted to be able to welcome a bowler of Asitha's quality to Sophia Gardens for the start of the 2025 season.
"Asitha has good experience of conditions in the UK having played county cricket previously and also while performing very well in Sri Lanka's series with England here last summer.
"We look forward to Asitha taking the field for Glamorgan as the first Sri Lankan player to represent the club."