Glamorgan Secures Sri Lankan Bowler Asitha Fernando for 2025 Season

Glamorgan has announced the signing of Sri Lanka pace bowler Asitha Fernando, who is set to join the team for the commencement of the 2025 season. Fernando previously achieved figures of 5-102 in the second Test match against England at Lord’s last August. Fernando, aged 27, is slated to join the Welsh county for the initial seven matches of the County Championship Division Two. This arrangement is contingent upon receiving a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket. As an established frontline bowler across all three formats of the game, Fernando is expected to bolster Glamorgan’s bowling attack. Fernando stated, “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.” He further added, “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 commenced his international career in Sri Lanka’s One Day International (ODI) match against Zimbabwe in July 2017, subsequently making his Test debut against South Africa in January 2021. During the second match of the May 2022 series versus Bangladesh, he achieved his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket, recording figures of 6-51 in the second innings, which were preceded by four wickets in the first innings. His T20I debut occurred in September 2022, also against Bangladesh. In August 2024, Fernando secured his second five-wicket haul (5-102) in the second Test against England at Lord’s, making him only the second Sri Lankan bowler, following Rumesh Ratnayake, to be inscribed on the Lord’s honours board. This accomplishment elevated him to the eighth position in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Test bowling rankings. Glamorgan director of cricket Mark Wallace commented, “We’re delighted to be able to welcome a bowler of Asitha’s quality to Sophia Gardens for the start of the 2025 season.” Wallace added, “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.” He concluded, “We look forward to Asitha taking the field for Glamorgan as the first Sri Lankan player to represent the club.”