Windhoek, Dec 7 (LatestNewsX) – Former India head coach Gary Kirsten has joined the Namibia men’s cricket team as a consultant, preparing for the 2026 T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Kirsten will partner closely with head coach Craig Williams, bringing added expertise to the squad’s technical work and overall progression.
“It is indeed a privilege to work with Cricket Namibia. I have been thoroughly impressed with the dedication and determination to create a high‑performance cricket environment. Their new state‑of‑the‑art cricket stadium is a testament to their commitment to making sure their national teams are competing with the best cricket countries in the world. Their senior men’s national team is performing well, and I look forward to adding value to their preparation for the T20 World Cup in February next year,” Kirsten said.
Namibia has made it to the final three editions of the T20 World Cup (2021, 2022, 2024) and is again in contention for the 2026 tournament. In addition, the country is one of the three joint hosts for the 2027 50‑over World Cup, sharing the role with South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Kirsten’s own playing days were marked by brilliance for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, during which he appeared in 101 Test matches and 185 ODIs, scoring 7,289 Test runs – including a 275‑run innings still remembered as one of the country’s finest – and 6,798 ODI runs.
After hanging up his gloves, he stayed deeply involved in cricket through coaching and mentorship. His international credentials were cemented when he took charge of India in 2007, guiding them to the top spot in the Test rankings and to victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. He later coached South Africa from 2011 to 2013, again leading them to the apex of the Test rankings.
Beyond national teams, Kirsten has helmed various franchise sides in the Indian Premier League, one of the premier T20 competitions worldwide. Most recently, he served as Head Coach of Pakistan’s men’s national side in 2024.
bc/vi
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