Gary Kirsten Takes Helm as Sri Lanka's New Head Coach Ahead of World Cup
Sri Lanka Cricket has appointed former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten as their new head coach. Kirsten is set to take charge on 15 April after signing a two-year deal that positions him to lead the team at the upcoming 2027 World Cup, co-hosted by South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. The 58-year-old has a proven track record in coaching, having led India to a World Cup victory in 2011 and helped South Africa achieve the top ranking across all formats in 2013. His most recent role was with the Pakistan limited-overs teams, but he resigned from that position in October 2024, just six months into a two-year contract. Sri Lanka Cricket emphasized that Kirsten's primary responsibility will be to guide the team in preparation for the 2027 World Cup. During his playing career, Kirsten featured in 101 Tests and 185 one-day internationals for South Africa from 1993 to 2004, amassing a total of 14,087 runs and achieving 21 Test and 13 ODI centuries. His appointment follows the announcement by Sanath Jayasuriya that he would step down as Sri Lanka's head coach after the team's exit from the T20 World Cup, where Kirsten had previously served as a consultant for Namibia.
Source: BBC Sport - 2026-03-09