Afghanistan have appointed former Ireland allrounder John Mooney as their new fielding coach, while Nirmalan Thanabalasingam has joined as the team’s physiotherapist. Both have linked up with the squad in Abu Dhabi for the ongoing training camp ahead of the T20I tri-series in the UAE starting August 29, featuring Pakistan as the third team, and the T20 Asia Cup beginning September 9.
Mooney is returning for his second stint with Afghanistan after previously serving as their fielding coach from 2018 to 2019, a period when the team made its Test debut in India. He has also worked with the West Indies men’s team in 2019 and was recently a temporary coach for the Ireland women’s team.
A former left-handed batter and right-arm seamer, the 43-year-old Mooney represented Ireland in 64 ODIs and 27 T20Is between 2006 and 2015. He featured in three ODI World Cups (2007, 2011, 2015) and two T20 World Cups (2009, 2010). Mooney is best remembered for hitting the winning runs in Ireland’s famous win over England during the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru. After retiring in 2015, he completed Level 1, 2 and 3 ECB coaching certificates.
Thanabalasingam brings extensive experience in elite sports. He has served as physiotherapist for Desert Vipers in the ILT20 since 2020 and previously worked as high-performance training and rehabilitation manager for Sri Lanka Cricket from 2017 to 2018. His career also includes stints with Cricket New South Wales, Rangpur Riders (BPL), Montreal Tigers (GT20 Canada), ICC World XI, Sydney Thunder (BBL), and West Harbour Rugby Union Club.
Afghanistan are currently preparing in Abu Dhabi as they gear up for the tri-series and their Asia Cup campaign.