John Mooney rejoins Afghanistan after six years
John Mooney was appointed as Afghanistan’s new fielding coach after six years, while Nirmalan Thanabalasingam joined as physiotherapist.
John Mooney, the former Ireland international, has returned to the Afghanistan national cricket team set-up after six years. On Wednesday (August 27), the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced his appointment as the team’s new fielding coach.
Mooney previously worked with Afghanistan from 2018 to 2019 and has been hired again after the position fell vacant following Shane McDermott’s departure. McDermott, who served Afghanistan earlier, is now guiding the Pakistan national team as fielding coach.
Mooney enjoyed a successful career with Ireland, representing the team in 91 international matches. His career highlights include three ICC Cricket World Cups in 2007, 2011, and 2015, as well as two ICC Men’s T20 World Cups. He also holds Level 3, 2, and 1 Coaching Certificates from the England & Wales Cricket Board.
Apart from his work with Afghanistan, Mooney has also been associated with the West Indies in 2019 and has been coaching the Ireland women’s team since January this year. Alongside Mooney’s return, the ACB has also appointed Australian professional Nirmalan Thanabalasingam as the new physiotherapist for the national team.
Thanabalasingam brings a strong background in physiotherapy and sports science. He completed his Master of Physiotherapy in 2010, following a Bachelor of Applied Science in Exercise and Sports Science in 2008, both from the University of Sydney. He is a registered practitioner with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia and an active member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA).
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With a strong focus on treating sports injuries and exercise-based rehabilitation, Thanabalasingam has worked as the Senior Physiotherapist at Concord Sports Medicine since 2018. On the international stage, he has also been the Team Physiotherapist for the Desert Vipers in the International League T20 (ILT20) since 2020.
Between March 2017 and June 2018, Thanabalasingam served as the High Performance Training & Rehabilitation Manager for Sri Lanka Cricket. His professional experience also extends to roles with Cricket NSW, Rangpur Riders (BPL), Montreal Tigers (GT20 Canada), ICC World XI, Sydney Thunder (BBL), and the West Harbour Rugby Union Club.
Afghanistan are currently holding a training and preparation camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of the tri-nation T20I series featuring Pakistan and hosts UAE, as well as the ACC Men’s T20I Asia Cup 2025.
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Last Updated on August 27, 2025
