Home / Sports / Kirsten Takes Sri Lanka Helm for 2027 World Cup
Kirsten Takes Sri Lanka Helm for 2027 World Cup
9 Mar
Summary
- Gary Kirsten appointed as Sri Lanka's new head coach.
- He will manage the team for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
- Kirsten previously coached India to a 2011 World Cup victory.
Former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten has been appointed as the new head coach of the Sri Lanka cricket team. He officially takes charge on April 15, 2026, following a two-year contract. Kirsten's primary responsibility will be to guide Sri Lanka's preparation and campaign for the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
Kirsten brings a distinguished coaching pedigree to the role. He successfully coached India to victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Additionally, he was instrumental in elevating South Africa to the top-ranked side across all formats in 2013. His recent coaching engagement was with the Pakistan limited-overs teams, though he resigned in October 2024.
The 58-year-old former player had previously served as a consultant for Namibia during the T20 World Cup. Kirsten represented South Africa in 101 Tests and 185 ODIs, scoring 14,087 runs. Sri Lanka is set to compete in three T20Is against Afghanistan this month and will tour England in September for three T20Is and three ODIs.
