Sri Lanka’s newly appointed head coach, Gary Kirsten, has outlined his vision for the national team, emphasizing consistency, depth, and adaptability as key pillars for success. Speaking to Wisden Cricket, Kirsten shared his thoughts on the challenges ahead and the roadmap he hopes to build with the players.

“Our goal is to move significantly up the rankings. Everyone wants to be part of a winning team, and that means we must focus on achieving victories more consistently,” Kirsten said.

He highlighted the unique challenge faced by subcontinental teams: performing well outside their home conditions. With the ICC World Cup approaching, Kirsten stressed the importance of preparing for South African conditions.

“It’s vital that we adapt to those environments, especially with a major tournament around the corner,” he noted.

Kirsten’s primary ambition is to establish stability within the system while also identifying the squad’s depth.

“How many players are competing for the same position? As an international coach, creating competition within the team is crucial. Relying on just two or three individuals for wins is a risky strategy,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Sri Lanka will play several bilateral series, which Kirsten sees as an opportunity to strengthen the foundation of the team.

“My focus in the coming months is to build a strong background that supports long-term success,” he added.

Earlier Sri Lanka Cricket confirmed the appointment of Gary Kirsten as the new head coach, succeeding Sanath Jayasuriya, who stepped down following the recently concluded T20 World Cup

The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announces that the Afghanistan vs Sri Lanka bilateral series, originally scheduled to commence on 13 March in the United Arab Emirates, has been rescheduled to the last quarter of 2026 due to logistical challenges, including flight constraints arising from the ongoing regional situation.

The series, which was to mark the first occasion of Afghanistan hosting Sri Lanka, was scheduled to feature six white-ball matches. The three T20 International matches were planned to be staged at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on 13, 15, and 17 March, followed by three One Day Internationals at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 20, 22, and 25 March.

Following the receipt of the required sanction from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), preparations had been finalized for hosting the matches across the two venues. However, in early March, unforeseen developments created logistical constraints that affected travel arrangements and operational planning for the series.

To address the situation, the Afghanistan Cricket Board held a series of consultations with key stakeholders, including the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), Sharjah Cricket Stadium (SCS), and Dubai International Cricket Stadium (DICS). A joint meeting convened by the ACB on 4 March resulted in a recommendation to monitor the situation and reassess by 6 March, in the hope that conditions would improve. A subsequent follow-up meeting on 7 March recommended waiting until 9 March before making a final determination.

Despite the collective efforts of all parties to proceed with the event as planned, the logistical challenges remained beyond operational control, leading to the decision to postpone the series and explore rescheduling options.

Throughout this process, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) was kept fully informed, and the decision to postpone the series was made in consultation and with the consent of Sri Lanka Cricket.

The preferred venue for the rescheduled series remains the United Arab Emirates, and the new dates will be announced in due course following further coordination between the respective boards and stakeholders.

Sri Lanka Cricket has officially announced the appointment of Gary Kirsten as the new head coach of the national men’s team, effective from 15 April 2026. His tenure will run for two years, concluding on 14 April 2028.

Kirsten, a former South African international cricketer, brings with him a wealth of coaching experience and a distinguished playing career. Between 2008 and 2011, he served as head coach of the India men’s national team, guiding them to victory in the 2011 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He later took charge of the South Africa men’s national team from 2011 to 2013, during which South Africa rose to become the number one ranked team across all formats.

Most recently, Kirsten worked as a consultant with Cricket Namibia during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, further expanding his global coaching footprint.

As a player, Kirsten represented South Africa from 1993 to 2004, amassing 14,087 international runs across Tests and ODIs. His record includes 21 Test centuries and 13 ODI centuries, cementing his reputation as one of South Africa’s most reliable batsmen.

Sri Lanka Cricket has emphasized that Kirsten’s appointment is part of a broader initiative to revamp the National High Performance Center. His primary responsibility will be to prepare and lead the Sri Lanka National Men’s Team in their campaign for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be jointly hosted by South Africa, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.