Cricket Namibia has appointed former South African cricketer and cricket coach, Gary Kirsten, as a consultant for the Namibian national men’s cricket team.
According to Cricket Namibia, Kirsten holds a rich international playing and coaching career and brings to the team a deep understanding of high-performance cricket and the potential to elevate Namibian cricket.
Kirsten played cricket for South Africa from 1993 to 2004, having played in 101 Test matches and 185 One-Day Internationals (ODIs). He amassed 7 289 Test runs, including a 275 high score, one of the finest and most memorable innings in South African cricket history. In ODIs, Kirsten scored 6 789 runs in his career.
After retiring from international cricket, Kirsten remained deeply involved in the game, establishing a cricket academy in Cape Town and taking on coaching and mentorship roles across various levels.
His coaching career reached global recognition when he became India’s Head Coach in 2007, guiding the team to the number one Test ranking and leading them to their historic ICC Cricket World Cup victory in 2011.
Kirsten then returned to South Africa, where he coached the national team from 2011 to 2013 and once again steered a side to the top of the ICC Test rankings.
His coaching expertise extended into franchise cricket as well, including roles in the Indian Premier League, one of the world’s premier T20 competitions. Most recently, he served as head coach of the Pakistan national men’s team in 2024. Kirsten described this new venture as a privilege, saying, “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’s appointment as consultant reflects Cricket Namibia’s commitment to strengthening its high-performance environment and supporting the existing coaching structure.
He will work closely with the national men’s head coach, Craig Williams, adding further value to the team’s technical direction and overall development.