Namibia open their fourth successive T20 World Cup on Tuesday, and they do so with an ally familiar with almost every blade of grass in the host nation. Gary Kirsten, appointed consultant in December 2025, has been drafted in to help Gerhard Erasmus’ side navigate Indian conditions – a challenge that has tripped up more established teams in the past.
Erasmus could hardly hide his enthusiasm when asked about the South African’s influence. “He obviously has lots of experience not only in the IPL but as you say with the 2011 winning squad. So he definitely brings a winning edge to it and also brings lots of knowledge of the different grounds.”
That back-catalogue is lengthy. Kirsten guided India to the 2011 ODI crown, coached South Africa’s Test side, and served stints with Delhi, Bengaluru and Gujarat in the IPL. He briefly led Pakistan’s white-ball set-up in 2024 and even found time for two Big Bash seasons with Hobart. Few coaches have logged more miles – or more net sessions – on the subcontinent.
Erasmus feels the value goes beyond strategy sheets and pitch maps. “But I think looking past that, I think it’s very nice in terms of management that you have so many mentor type coaches who really like to bring the human side first and they really like to connect with the players. And I think that’s what we respect most about Gary and all the other coaches on our staff. But cricket is very much conditions based and it’s awesome to have him around.”
Namibia’s group fixtures – Netherlands in Delhi, followed by Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uganda – demand rapid adaptation. Kotla’s low bounce, Chennai’s turn and the prospect of late-evening dew in Kolkata leave little time for hesitation. Kirsten’s recent IPL seasons with Gujarat Titans supplied a fresh scouting report on those venues, something the players appear to have lapped up during preparatory camps in South Africa and Dubai.
Head coach Craig Williams is equally appreciative. “The world knows Gary Kirsten. There’s not one department that he doesn’t help. He’s a workaholic. He’s helping us the whole time. I mean, for myself as a young coach, learning from someone like him, just unbelievable. So Gary is just a really great all round coach and we’re super chuffed to have him on our side.”
For Namibia, a Full-Member scalp remains the next frontier – they stunned Sri Lanka in 2022 but have since fallen short against top-tier opposition. Pace remains their traditional strength, yet Indian surfaces often blunt outright speed. Expect Kirsten’s fingerprints on plans involving greater use of cutters, smarter fields, and – crucially – batting blueprints that value strike rotation over brute power.
The consultant’s remit also stretches wider than the senior dressing-room. He is advising Cricket Namibia on pathway programmes and acting as an informal bridge between players and officials. Erasmus appreciates that mediation role. “When it comes down to me as a leader and as a captain, as one, you know, one foot in the management door and one foot in the players’ door, it’s always so important for me to have that connection between players and the management,” he said. “And as a captain, you have to facilitate that. Sometimes when you have a senior member and a mentor like him who, first things first, is such a great human being, I think that resonates well with the players and brings the best out of”
Even unfinished sentences hint at the captain’s confidence.
Namibia’s recent record – 11 wins in 15 T20Is since last June – suggests momentum, yet they remain outsiders in a group featuring two Asian heavyweights. The realities of a jam-packed calendar, travel across three time zones, and the unforgiving nature of World Cup scheduling will test their depth.
Still, few teams in this tournament will boast a sounding board with as much Indian expertise as Kirsten. Whether that translates into a Super Eight spot will depend on execution, not CVs, but Erasmus and company know the blueprint has been drawn by someone who has lifted a trophy on Indian soil. In a format decided by fine margins, they will happily take that advantage.
