Asitha Madusanka Fernando

International career

Asitha Madusanka Fernando was born on 31 July 1997 in Katuneriya, Sri Lanka. He is a right-arm fast bowler and plays for the national team in Test matches, One Day Internationals, and T20 games. His main strength is bowling with good control and swing. Outside international cricket, he plays for Jaffna Kings in the Lanka Premier League. Over time, he became one of the main pace bowlers for Sri Lanka in all formats.

2016

• Named in Sri Lanka's Test squad for the series against Australia in July, but did not play.
  
  

2017

• Made ODI debut on 8 July vs Zimbabwe in Hambantota.
• Played in the 4th ODI but did not take a wicket.
• This match was his first international appearance.
  
  

2018

• Selected for Sri Lanka’s T20I squad in February for the Bangladesh series but did not play.
• In May, included in the Test squad for the West Indies tour.
• Played in the 2018 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in December.
  
  

2019

• Named in a 22-man Test squad for the New Zealand series in August but missed the final squad.
• In November, included in the squad for the ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
• Later that month, took part in the South Asian Games. Sri Lanka won the silver medal after losing to Bangladesh in the final.
  
  

2019–2020

• Added to Sri Lanka’s Test squad for the tour to Pakistan in December, replacing Suranga Lakmal.
  
  

2020

• Named in Sri Lanka’s T20I squad in March for the West Indies series as a replacement for Nuwan Pradeep.
• In December, selected for the Test series against South Africa.
  
  

2021

• Made Test debut on 3 January against South Africa in Johannesburg.
• Named in T20I squad in February for the West Indies tour.
• In July, included in the squad for the India series.
  
  

2022

• In May, took his first five-wicket haul in Tests vs Bangladesh (6/51 in second innings and 4 wickets in first).
• Finished the match with 10 wickets for 141 — his first 10-wicket match haul.
• Named in the squad for the Asia Cup in August.
• Made his T20I debut on 1 September against Bangladesh in Dubai.
  
  

2024

• Named as a reserve player in May for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
• On 30 August, during the second Test vs England at Lord’s, took 5/102 — his second five-wicket haul.
• Became only the second Sri Lankan bowler after Rumesh Ratnayake to enter the Lord’s Honours Board.
• Finished the series as the top wicket-taker: 17 wickets in 3 Tests, average of 24.64, including one five-wicket and one four-wicket haul.
• Played his last T20I on 13 October vs West Indies at Dambulla.
  
  

2025

• Took 4 wickets on 18 June vs Bangladesh in the first Test — his first four-wicket haul on home soil.
• Played his most recent Test from 17–21 June vs Bangladesh at Galle.
• The last ODI was on 14 February vs Australia in Colombo (RPS).

Leagues Participation

Asitha Fernando has taken part in the Lanka Premier League since its early seasons. He first played for Galle Gladiators in 2020, then joined Jaffna Kings in 2022 and continues to play for them.

Lanka Premier League

Asitha Fernando was picked by the Galle Gladiators in October 2020 for the first edition of the Lanka Premier League. Since 2022, he has been part of the Jaffna Kings squad and continues to play for them in the tournament.

Year	Team	Notes
2020	Galle Gladiators	Drafted for the inaugural LPL season in October 2020
2021	Did not play	Was not picked by any team
2022–present	Jaffna Kings	Joined Jaffna Kings and has been playing regularly since then

Domestic career

Asitha Fernando began his domestic journey with a strong performance in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup, where he stood out as one of Sri Lanka’s top pace bowlers. He made his First-Class debut on 3 July 2016 against Pakistan A in Leicester and has since played 90 matches, taking 277 wickets at an economy rate of 3.49.

His List A debut came on 6 March 2017 against England Lions in Kurunegala, and he has collected 127 wickets in 83 matches, bowling with an economy of 5.08. In the T20 format, he debuted for Chilaw Marians Cricket Club on 24 February 2018 and has taken 60 wickets in 55 games, with an economy of 8.23.

Over the years, Asitha has played for several domestic teams including Dambulla, Colombo, and SLC Reds in various provincial tournaments. He was the top wicket-taker for Dambulla in the 2018 Super Provincial One Day Tournament and produced a standout spell of 6 for 8 in the 2019–20 SLC Twenty20 Tournament. In December 2024, he signed with Glamorgan to take part in the 2025 County Championship, joining the club for the first seven matches of the season.

Records and achievements

Asitha Fernando has built a strong presence through steady performances and important match results. Over the years, he collected several personal milestones and played key roles in wins for his teams. Below are his main records and achievements arranged by year.

• 2016: Sri Lanka reached the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup. Asitha was the leading pace bowler for his side with 11 wickets in 6 matches, and one of the key players in the bowling unit.
• 2021: He played his first Test match in January against South Africa at Johannesburg. That marked the beginning of his regular appearances in the longest format.
• 2022: Against Bangladesh in May, Asitha became the first Sri Lankan bowler to take 10 wickets in a single Test against them. He took 6/51 in the second innings and 4 wickets in the first, ending with match figures of 10/141. For this performance, he received the Player of the Match award on 23 May 2022. During the Asia Cup T20 semi-final, he helped his team by taking 3 wickets for just 10 runs against Bangladesh.
• 2024: On 30 August, in the second Test match against England at Lord’s, Asitha picked up 5/102. This was his second five-wicket haul in Tests. After that match, his name was placed on the Lord’s Honours Board, becoming the second Sri Lankan after Rumesh Ratnayake to receive that recognition. He ended the series as the leading wicket-taker, with 17 wickets in 3 matches, an average of 24.64, and two standout spells — one five-for and one four-for. His performances moved him up to 8th place in the ICC Test bowling rankings.
• 2025: On 18 June, during the first Test against Bangladesh in Galle, Asitha collected his first four-wicket haul on home soil.

Personal life

Asitha Fernando does not share many details about his life outside cricket. He was born in Katuneriya, a small town in Sri Lanka, and grew up there before entering the national scene. His public image has remained steady, with few headlines beyond cricket.

Finances

In 2024, his estimated wealth stood between 3 and 5 million US dollars.

Scandals

In July 2023, during a Test match against Pakistan, Asitha was penalised for breaking the ICC Code of Conduct. The issue happened in the 81st over, when he directed words at Saud Shakeel after the dismissal. The board gave him an official warning and one demerit point. This was his first recorded offence in two years.

Fans

By 2024, his Instagram account had gathered around 28,000 followers. Most of his support comes from Sri Lankan cricket fans and league followers.