Colombo, March 10: The Sri Lanka Cricket Board has appointed former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the national men’s team. His tenure will commence on April 15. Sri Lanka’s performance in the 2026 T20 World Cup was disappointing, as the team exited in the Super-8 stage despite playing on home soil.
Gary Kirsten had an illustrious international career representing South Africa. He served as the head coach of the Indian national team from 2008 to 2011, leading them to victory in the 2011 ODI World Cup. Additionally, he was the head coach of the South African team from 2011 to 2013.
In a statement, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board mentioned, “The appointment of the new head coach is part of efforts to restructure Sri Lanka Cricket’s national high-performance center.” Kirsten boasts an impressive coaching record and significant experience, which he aims to leverage to strengthen the Sri Lanka cricket team. Recently, he was involved as an advisor with the Namibia team during the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026.
Kirsten began his international career in 1993 and announced his retirement in 2004. Throughout his Test and ODI career, he accumulated a total of 14,087 runs, including 21 centuries in Tests and 13 in ODIs. His contract with the Sri Lanka cricket team will last for two years, concluding on April 14, 2028. A key responsibility for Kirsten will be preparing the Sri Lanka team for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
Sri Lanka’s performance in the 2026 T20 World Cup was quite disappointing. Under the captaincy of Dasun Shanaka, the team had a strong showing in the group stage, notably securing an impressive 8-wicket victory against Australia. However, they faced defeats in the Super-8 round against England, New Zealand, and Pakistan.
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