Gary Kirsten appointed consultant for Namibia men’s team

Former World Cup-winning India coach Gary Kirsten has been appointed as consultant for Namibia's men's national teams, partnering with head coach Craig Williams to prepare for the T20 World Cup scheduled in India and Sri Lanka in February-March 2026.Kirsten, a former South African opener who retired in 2004, transitioned to coaching and achieved notable success as India's head coach from 2007, leading the team to victory in the 2011 ODI World Cup."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," Kirsten said in a Cricket Namibia statement."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."After his stint with India, Kirsten served as South Africa's head coach and worked with various teams in T20 franchise leagues globally, including a brief role as Pakistan's men's team head coach in 2024."Kirsten's appointment as consultant reflects Cricket Namibia's commitment to strengthening its high-performance environment and supporting the existing coaching structure," stated the board.The board added that "his blend of international playing experience, coaching success, and passion for player development brings valuable insight and added depth to the Eagles setup."Namibia has maintained a strong presence in international cricket, qualifying for the last three T20 World Cups in 2021, 2022, and 2024.The country remains in contention for the upcoming edition and will serve as one of the three host nations for the 2026 tournament, alongside South Africa and Zimbabwe.