The Sri Lanka left-arm seamer has signed a two-match deal for the County Championship clashes with Worcestershire and Leicestershire
Sri Lanka Test seamer Vishwa Fernando will join Durham for their final two County Championship Division Two matches.
The left-arm seamer arrives as cover for Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse who are with England for the Ireland one-day international series which overlaps with the last two rounds of the four-day season.
Durham are on the brink of earning promotion back to Division One and will be looking to add the title during the concluding rounds away at Worcestershire and home to Leicestershire.
Fernando had initially signed up for the last three matches of the season but his arrival at Chester-Le-Street was delayed due to not being able to obtain a visa in time, meaning he missed the seven-wicket win over Sussex.
Fernando - pictured celebrating against Ireland - has 50 wickets in 20 Tests (ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
The 31-year-old has played 20 Tests for Sri Lanka, taking 50 wickets, and has featured in nine white-ball matches for his country.
His debut is set to come at New Road on September 19, where he took match figures of 4 for 142 in a first-class match for Sri Lanka A against Pakistan A in 2016.
The imminent arrival follows news that teammate and namesake Asitha Fernando has joined Division One Nottinghamshire for the last three rounds of the red-ball summer.
Matthew Potts is unavailable for the final rounds of the season after being called up by England (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
"I am really looking forward to joining Durham, I am very much excited to play in the County Championship in England, I look forward to seeing everyone soon," he said.
Director of cricket Marcus North added: "We are really pleased to welcome Vishwa to Durham for our County Championship run-in.
"With Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts away on England duty for their ODI series against Ireland, we felt the need to recruit a quick overseas bowler, as we look to maintain our strong finish to the season, ending in a positive way.
"He is a vastly experienced player who has succeeded in Test and first-class cricket and we look forward to seeing what he can bring to Durham in September."
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