Sri Lanka Cricket has officially confirmed the appointment of former South Africa batsman Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the men’s national team following the resignation of Sanath Jayasuriya after the T20 World Cup 2026.
Kirsten, who is known for his successful coaching careers with South Africa and India, has signed a two-year deal, with his tenure starting on April 15.
He led India to a historic victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and then led South Africa from 2011 to 2013, during which they rose to the top ranking in all three formats in 2013.
Most recently, the 58-year-old served as a consultant to Namibia during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Kirsten’s appointment marks her return to the international training circuit following a short and challenging stint with Pakistan. He was initially appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board on a two-year contract in April 2024.
However, he resigned in October 2024 after an important assignment: the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 West Indies and USA, where Pakistan suffered a group-stage exit following defeats to arch-rivals India and USA.
Prior to his coaching career, Kirsten enjoyed an illustrious playing career for South Africa from 1993 to 2004, amassing 21 Test centuries and 14,000 international runs in 13 one-day internationals.
His primary objective with Sri Lanka will be to prepare and lead the team for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, which is scheduled to be co-hosted by South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.