Sri Lanka have appointed former World Cup coach Gary Kirsten as their head coach for two years. Kirsten replaces Sanath Jayasuriya who resigned after Sri Lanka suffered a disappointing T20 World Cup at home.
The 58-year-old former South Africa opener will take charge of the senior team across all formats from April 15, 2025, with his primary focus on helping Sri Lanka to perform strongly in the 2027 ODI World Cup.
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“Kirsten’s main responsibilities will include leading the Sri Lanka men’s national team in their preparation and campaign for the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup to be held in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe,” Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement on Monday 9
“The appointment of a new head coach is part of Sri Lanka Cricket’s efforts to revamp the National High Performance Center structure.
“His appointment with Sri Lanka Cricket will be for a two-year period ending April 14, 2028,” the board added.
Kirsten, who recently worked as a consultant with the Namibian national team during the T20 World Cup, has experienced an unforgettable and turbulent role with the Pakistan team.
His tenure as Pakistan’s head white-ball coach lasted just six months, starting in April 2024 and ending with his sudden resignation in October. The initial excitement surrounding his appointment quickly faded after a disastrous T20 World Cup campaign in Pakistan in 2024, which included shock defeats to the USA and India.
After the tournament, Kirsten reportedly criticized the team for their lack of unity and professionalism. He famously remarked that he did he had never seen a team so separated in all his years of coachinghighlighting deep-seated issues within dressing room culture.
The final blow came when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) stripped Kirsten and red-ball coach Jason Gillespie of their selection powers and handed them over to a newly formed committee. Disillusioned with the move and increasing administrative interference, Kirsten stepped down from the role.
As Kirsten contemplated his retirement in 2025, he said he was “too old to pursue other agendas”, leaving behind a tenure marked by criticism of Pakistan cricket’s structural problems rather than success on the field.
Despite this episode, Kirsten remains one of the most respected coaches in world cricket. The former South Africa international served as India’s head coach from 2008 to 2011 and later coached South Africa from 2011 to 2013.
During his tenure in India, he led the team to win the Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2011. Under his leadership, South Africa also became the No. 1 ranked team across all formats in 2013.
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Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
09 March 2026 19:14 IST
