Afghanistan have strengthened their support staff by appointing former Ireland allrounder John Mooney as fielding coach and Nirmalan Thanabalasingam as physiotherapist. Both have already joined the squad in Abu Dhabi for the ongoing preparation camp ahead of the UAE T20I tri-series, which begins on August 29, and the men’s T20 Asia Cup starting September 9.
This is Mooney’s second stint with Afghanistan, having previously served as fielding coach from 2018 to 2019, a period that included the team’s Test debut in India. He later worked with the West Indies men’s side in 2019 and more recently with the Ireland women’s team as a temporary coach.
During his playing career, Mooney was a left-hand batter and right-arm medium pacer who represented Ireland between 2006 and 2015. He featured in 64 ODIs and 27 T20Is, playing in three ODI World Cups (2007, 2011, 2015) and two T20 World Cups (2009, 2010). His most memorable moment came in the 2011 World Cup in Bengaluru, when he struck the winning runs in Ireland’s famous victory over England. Since retiring in 2015, Mooney has completed ECB Level 1, 2, and 3 coaching certificates.
Physiotherapist Thanabalasingam also brings vast international experience. Since 2020, he has been with the Desert Vipers in the ILT20. Previously, he served as high-performance training and rehabilitation manager for Sri Lanka Cricket from 2017 to 2018. His résumé includes roles with Cricket New South Wales, Sydney Thunder, Rangpur Riders, Montreal Tigers, ICC World XI, and West Harbour Rugby Union Club.
With the Asia Cup and a busy international schedule ahead, Afghanistan will hope Mooney’s expertise and Thanabalasingam’s experience add strength to their preparations.
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