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Ex-India coach Gary Kirsten joins Namibia as consultant ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

Soumyajit Dutta

Gary Kirsten appointed as Namibia consultant [Source: @EmEm1593/X.com]Gary Kirsten appointed as Namibia consultant [Source: @EmEm1593/X.com]

Gary Kirsten, a renowned South African coach, has been named the consultant for the men's national team of Namibia. 

Notably, Gary will be working with the head coach of Namibia, Craig Williams, who is set to build a team for the next T20 World Cup, which will be played from February to March 2026. 

Kirsten to add expertise to the Namibia setup

Gary's addition to Namibia's set-up will be a revolutionary change since the 58-year-old has been a World Cup-winning coach, with India winning the 2011 ODI World Cup under him. He became India's coach in 2007 and took up various roles in South Africa before that. 

Kirsten was happy to join the Namibia set-up as he shared that he is impressed with the team as well as their dedication to the sport.

"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 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.

The Namibia Cricket Board added to the excitement of Kirsten's appointment with an official statement. 

"Kirsten's appointment as consultant reflects Cricket Namibia's commitment to strengthening its high-performance environment and supporting the existing coaching structure. His blend of international playing experience, coaching success, and passion for player development brings valuable insight and added depth to the Eagles [men's national team] setup," Cricket Namibia said in a statement.

Kirsten, a veteran in coaching

Kirsten, who himself was one of South Africa's best batters in the 1990s, turned to coaching after his retirement in 2004. After his stint with India, he was found coaching for several T20 franchise leagues and was last seen serving in an aborted stint as head coach of Pakistan in 2024.

With Gary Kirsten's addition, Namibia, an emerging team in Men's T20 cricket, who qualified for the T20 World Cups in 2021, 2022 and 2024, are now also contenders for the trophy in the 2026 World Cup, is aiming to be one of the dominators in the league.