Welsh Fire: Know All About Players, Owners, Captains, Coaches, Records, and More

Welsh Fire is a Cardiff-based cricket team competing in The Hundred, a fast-paced 100-ball competition launched in 2021. Originally backed by Glamorgan Cricket, the team recently partnered with the owners of Washington Freedom and, more specifically, Sanjay Govil, an Indian-born American entrepreneur, bringing new investors and more connections.

Welsh Fire captain, Tom Abell, leads the squad with guidance from head coach Michael Hussey. The team has lacked consistency but has shown glimpses of potential. Welsh Fire will be looking to change their fortune in the forthcoming seasons and look to clinch the title.

Team Information

Welsh Fire is a cricket team in The Hundred, mainly representing the Cardiff region, and was founded in 2019. It is the premier franchise league in the United Kingdom and is currently owned by Glamorgan County Cricket Club (majority), Sanjay Govil & Washington Freedom (MLC) ~50%. Welsh Fire is still trying to lay their hands on the title and win their maiden trophy.

Welsh Fire Jersey and Logo

The Welsh Fire logo shows a bold “WF” design with the team’s name written in both English and Welsh (“Tân Cymreig”), highlighting their strong Welsh identity. Welsh is a Celtic language mainly spoken in Wales. It is becoming a minority language and is being replaced by English. Their jersey is a bright mix of red and pink with a flame-like pattern, matching the team’s name and spirit. Made by New Balance from 100% recycled materials, the kit is both stylish and eco-friendly. It features the Hula Hoops sponsor logo in the centre, with the team and brand logos on the chest.

Welsh Fire Captain, Vice-Captain, Details

Welsh Fire captain is Tom Abell. He is a calm and focused player who leads by setting a good example. His vice-captain is Jonny Bairstow, a big-hitting wicketkeeper who brings lots of experience to the team. Jonny Bairstow has been a significant contributor to the team's batting order and is the second leading run scorer for the franchise, and will soon go past Glenn Phillips to become the leading run scorer for the franchise.

Welsh Fire History

Welsh Fire is a cricket team from Cardiff that started in 2019 to play in The Hundred, a new cricket competition with 100 balls per side that began in 2021. The team represents parts of Wales and nearby areas, including Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, and Somerset. They play their home games at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff. The franchise is jointly owned by Glamorgan County Cricket Club and a partnership involving Sanjay Govil’s Washington Freedom and Major League Cricket. As of 2025, the partnership holds a 50% ownership stake, placing the team's estimated value at around £84.6 million.

In their first season in 2021, the team finished eighth. Over the next few years, they got better. They finished fourth in 2023 and will be looking to clinch the trophy for the first time. Although there have been issues of consistency with the team but this year's squad look solid enough to change the record.

Welsh Fire Owner

Sanjay Govil, an Indian-American tech entrepreneur, became a co-owner of Welsh Fire in 2025. He’s best known as the founder of Infinite Computer Solutions and health-tech company Zyter TruCare, both major players in the tech world. Govil first got involved in cricket by buying a team in the U.S. – the Washington Freedom, which went on to win Major League Cricket in 2024 under the leadership of Ricky Ponting.

In early 2025, Govil bought a 50% stake in Welsh Fire through a £40 million deal, valuing the team at around £84.6 million. He also sees potential in sharing players and resources between Welsh Fire and his U.S. team, creating stronger ties across leagues. The other half of Welsh Fire is owned by Glamorgan County Cricket Club, which has been at the heart of Welsh cricket for many years. Glamorgan brings strong local ties and a proud cricketing history to the team, while Govil brings international experience and fresh investment.

Welsh Fire Administration and Support Staff

The achievements of a cricket franchise like Welsh Fire rely not only on the talent and on-field brilliance of its players but also on the unwavering dedication and expertise of its administrative and support staff. The Men's team is looking forward to a change in fortune under the guidance of Head Coach Michael Hussey, who replaced Gary Kirsten.

Team & Cricket Operations Manager

Mark Wallace, a former Glamorgan captain and long-time wicketkeeper, is now Director of Cricket at Glamorgan and also the Team Manager for Welsh Fire. He took on the Glamorgan role in 2019 after an 18-year playing career and now leads everything from player signings to youth development. Wallace is a strong supporter of making cricket more accessible and helped create a free talent pathway in Wales. He also holds a top coaching qualification and has a Master’s degree in sports. With Welsh Fire, he helps guide Welsh Fire in The Hundred. He’s passionate about keeping Welsh Fire based in Cardiff and wants the team to be successful both on the field and in the local community.

Head Coach

Mike Hussey, known as “Mr Cricket,” is the head coach of the Welsh Fire men’s team and brings years of experience from international cricket and top leagues like the IPL and Big Bash. A former Australian star who played in 79 Tests and 185 ODIs, he’s also worked with England’s T20 World Cup squad.

Mentor

For Welsh Fire, official information about the mentor is yet to be announced. The information is not available at the moment, and we will update it as soon as there is any official confirmation.

Batting Coach

Welsh Fire has not announced an official batting coach as of July 2025, but Mike Hussey is the head coach, and there is no other publicly disclosed information about the same.

Bowling Coach

Welsh Fire has not provided any official information about their bowling coach. There is no publicly available information at this moment, and it might be announced before the start of the season.

Fielding Coach

Other than Mike Hussey and Gareth Breese being the head coaches of the men's and women's teams, respectively, there is no information regarding the fielding coach of the Welsh Fire.

Physiotherapist

The physiotherapist for Welsh Fire has not been disclosed yet, but we will update it as soon as there is any update about the same. All these details might be provided before the start of fixtures in August 2025.

Welsh Fire Team Sponsorships

Welsh Fire main shirt sponsor is Hula Hoops, the popular snack brand, which has been featured on their kits since the team launched in 2019. They also partner with New Era for hats and New Balance for their playing kits. It’s all part of building the team’s identity and connecting with fans in a fun and recognisable way.

Welsh Fire Social Media

Welsh Fire maintains a growing and professional presence on social media platforms, especially Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). They provide glimpses of The Hundred, team achievements, behind-the-scenes training videos, matchday posts, and player interactions.

Welsh Fire Instagram

The official Instagram handle for Welsh Fire is @welshfire. The account features engaging content such as player announcements, practice session clips, match highlights, and team bonding moments. It has more than 31K followers, which showcases the team's identity across the globe.

Welsh Fire Twitter

The official X (Twitter) handle is @Tan_Cymreig. Here, they post about Welsh Fire match updates, live commentary threads, key player stats, lineup announcements, and community engagements. Although their X account is not as active as their Instagram account.

Welsh Fire Facebook

Despite being one of the most popular franchises in England, Welsh Fire doesn't have any presence on Facebook. Whenever the club decides to make an account, we will update the information on this page.

Welsh Fire Stats

Welsh Fire matches have had some exciting moments in recent seasons, even though results have been mixed. In the 2024 men’s competition, they won 2 out of 8 matches and finished with a negative run rate. One standout moment was when they chased down 87 runs in just 57 balls. The team need to work on their consistency, as they do have the potential to do the same.

Welsh Fire Batting Stats

From 2021 to 2024, Welsh Fire's batting has been driven by a mix of experienced hitters and exciting stroke-makers. Glenn Phillips has been one of the standout performers, scoring 395 runs with a strong strike rate of 140. Jonny Bairstow, despite playing fewer games, made a big impact with 338 runs and three half-centuries, averaging over 28. Joe Clarke contributed solidly with 347 runs, while Stephen Eskinazi impressed in a short spell, scoring 266 runs at an explosive strike rate of 151.

Welsh Fire Bowling Stats

Welsh Fire’s bowlers have done well in recent years. Haris Rauf took 11 wickets in just 6 games in 2024, with his best bowling of 3 wickets for 20 runs. Matt Henry also helped out a lot that year, taking 8 wickets with a good average. David Willey played in both 2023 and 2024, taking 9 wickets in 2024 and 8 in 2023, keeping things tight with a good economy rate.

Welsh Fire Performance Over the Years

Welsh Fire’s time in The Hundred has had its ups and downs. In the early years, the team showed some great moments but couldn’t win consistently. In 2023, with Jonny Bairstow as captain, they had an average season, winning some games but not making it to the playoffs. Batters like Ben Duckett and Glenn Phillips scored well, while bowlers such as Mark Wood and Michael Hogan helped out a lot.

The 2024 season brought new players and a new coach. They won a few important matches but still didn’t make it to the finals. Their bowling, led by Haris Rauf and Matt Henry, looked strong, and batters like Jonny Bairstow stood out. Welsh Fire are working hard to become a better and more consistent team in the future.

Welsh Fire 2025 Squad: Players to Watch Out For

Welsh Fire players are full of talent and potential and will try to change the results this season. Welsh Fire has a star-studded squad with the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Steve Smith, and Riley Meredith, who have been impactful in the T20 format. In the bowling department, they have the likes of Chris Woakes and Riley Meredith, who come with a bag full of experience. Overall, Welsh Fire players are among the most experienced in this tournament.

Welsh Fire Full Squad

Jonny Bairstow, Steve Smith, Chris Woakes, Tom Abell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, David Payne, Chris Green, Riley Meredith, Paul Walter, Luke Wells, Saif Zaib, Josh Hull, Stevie Eskinazi, and Mason Crane.