Published October 18, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Sri Lanka cricket team head coach and former South African Test cricketer Gary Kirsten enjoyed a mountain biking session in Islamabad’s Margalla Hills, taking in the area’s natural scenery.
Kirsten said he was grateful to have been allowed to go mountain biking, calling it his favorite hobby. He said it lets him see natural landscapes up close.
“The Margalla Hills are absolutely stunning,” the Sri Lanka coach said, adding that the mountain biking experience there was very enjoyable. During the ride he saw several mountains and admired the area’s beautiful landscape.
The former South African cricketer said mountain biking offers a unique way to see any country and enjoy its natural beauty, and that he finds it a rewarding experience.
Kirsten said he is an early riser and usually finishes his rides between 8 and 9 am.
He also praised Pakistan’s mountains, especially those in the northern areas. He said that if he could get even a day or two free, he would love to visit the north.
Sri Lanka’s tour of Pakistan
Kirsten’s ride comes during Sri Lanka’s extended tour of Pakistan. Pakistan sealed the T20I series before Sri Lanka won the third match by eight wickets in Rawalpindi on October 13, with captain Kusal Mendis scoring an unbeaten 87. Before that game, Kirsten described the T20 side as being in an “exploratory phase” ahead of the next World Cup, which is still two years away.
The team now moves to the Pakistan ODI Tri-Series, which began in Rawalpindi on October 18 and continues with matches in Rawalpindi and Lahore until October 29. A tour match against a PCB XI follows in Islamabad from November 4 to 6. The two-Test series then starts in Rawalpindi from November 9 to 13, with the second Test in Lahore from November 17 to 21. Dhananjaya de Silva will captain the side in the Tests.
Who is Gary Kirsten?
Kirsten, 58, took charge of Sri Lanka on a two-year contract effective April 15, 2026, replacing Sanath Jayasuriya after the team’s disappointing T20 World Cup campaign. His brief includes preparing the side for the 2027 ODI World Cup, which South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will host.
As a player, the left-handed opener appeared in 101 Tests and 185 ODIs for South Africa between 1993 and 2004. As a coach, he guided India to the 2011 World Cup title and then led South Africa from 2011 to 2013.
In 2024 he briefly served as Pakistan’s white-ball coach, resigning after six months. His return to Pakistan with Sri Lanka gives him another chance to see the country, this time through its mountain trails.