New coach Gary Kirsten joins Pakistan team ahead of England T20 series

Former South African opener Gary Kirsten joined the Pakistan team as their new head coach in Leeds ahead of the crucial four-match T20 series in England.

Kirsten, 56, was last month appointed as the white-ball head coach of the Pakistan team, with Australian Jason Gillespie the red-ball head coach.

Pakistan are scheduled to play four T20s against England, beginning at Headingley on Wednesday, to prepare for the T20 World Cup next month in the Caribbean and the US.

The team in green have delayed naming the final 15-man squad for the World Cup until the first T20.

But the side is in good hands as Kirsten is a proven performer. It was under his management that India won the 2011 ODI World Cup. He is the mentor and batting coach of Gujarat Titans who won the IPL title in their first attempt in 2022 and came agonisingly close to defending it the next year. However this year, Gujarat were knocked out of play-off contention on Monday.

Glimpses of the team meeting with Pakistan white-ball head coach Gary Kirsten in Leeds