My goal is to unite the Pakistan team: Gary Kirsten

Pakistan have named new head coaches for their men's white-ball and red-ball teams.

Gary Kirsten, the head coach of the Indian team that won the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2011, will assume the role of white-ball head coach of Pakistan heading into the upcoming T20 World Cup, the PCB announced in their press conference on Sunday.

Former Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie has been roped in as the head coach for Tests. Azhar Mahmood, who recently acted as the head coach during the T20I series against New Zealand, will continue to be a part of the setup as an all-format assistant coach.

All three appointments have been made for a two-year period, the PCB confirmed in their press release.

Gary Kirsten, currently fulfilling duties as the batting coach and mentor for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is set to join the Pakistan team following the completion of the tournament.

His first big test will be the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies after which he is expected to be in charge of the team heading into ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan, T20 Asia Cup 2025 and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

Speaking on his appointment, Gary Kirsten said: "It's a tremendous honour to be entrusted with the responsibility of coaching the Pakistan men's national team in white-ball cricket and to rejoin the international cricket arena after some time. I eagerly anticipate this opportunity and aim to contribute positively to the Pakistan men's national team in limited-overs cricket.

"One of the beautiful aspects of cricket is its universality. Across cultures, there's a shared understanding when we discuss the game. My goal is to unite the Pakistan men's white-ball team, harnessing their considerable talents towards a common objective, and achieving success together on the field."