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Dilhara Fernando

Dilhara Fernando
Dilhara Fernando Image: Wikimedia Commons. paddynapper / CC BY-SA 2.0

Congenige Randhi Dilhara Fernando (Sinhala: දිල්හාර ප්‍රනාන්දු; born 19 July 1979) is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer. A right-arm pace bowler, he was part of the Sri Lankan squads that finished as runners-up at both the 2007 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cups, and he was a member of the side that won the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy.

Key facts

Full name Congenige Randhi Dilhara Fernando
Born 19 July 1979
Nationality Sri Lankan
Role Bowler
Bowling style Right-arm pace
Notable tournaments 2002 ICC Champions Trophy (winner); 2007 and 2011 Cricket World Cups (runner-up)

Career

Fernando represented Sri Lanka as a specialist fast bowler over an international career that spanned more than a decade. He was a key member of the Sri Lankan attack during the country's run to the final of the 2007 Cricket World Cup, where Sri Lanka finished as runners-up. He was again part of the squad that reached the final of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, in which Sri Lanka were once more runners-up.

Earlier in his career, Fernando was part of the Sri Lankan team that won the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, one of the country's notable triumphs in global one-day cricket.

Bowling style and technique

Fernando is best known for his unusual method of delivering the slower ball, which he produced by splitting his fingers around the ball at the point of release. This technique became something of a signature variation in his bowling repertoire and contributed to his reputation as a wicket-taking option in limited-overs cricket.

Significance

As a frontline pace bowler during a competitive era for Sri Lankan cricket, Fernando contributed to the national team's success in major International Cricket Council tournaments. His career coincided with a period in which Sri Lanka were regular contenders in world events, and his slower-ball technique remains a frequently cited example of innovation in fast bowling.

References