News DeskABU DHABI – UAE – The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the appointment of two new key members to the AfghanAtalan setup, with former Ireland international John Mooney joining as the new Fielding Coach and Australian Nirmalan Thanabalasingam as the new Physiotherapist. Both have already joined the national team in Abu Dhabi for their current training and preparation camp.
John Mooney, who represented Ireland in 91 international matches, brings extensive experience from his career, which includes three ICC Cricket World Cups and two T20 World Cups. A holder of coaching certificates from the England Cricket Board, Mooney is returning to the Afghan National Team, having previously served as their Fielding Coach from 2018 to 2019. His coaching career also includes roles with the West Indies Cricket Team and as a Relief Coach for the Ireland Women’s National Team.
Nirmalan Thanabalasingam adds a strong background in sports science and physiotherapy to the team. A registered practitioner with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia, he holds a Master of Physiotherapy and a Bachelor of Applied Science from the University of Sydney. His professional experience includes a senior physiotherapist role at Concord Sports Medicine and international assignments with the Desert Vipers in the ILT20, Sri Lanka Cricket, Cricket NSW, and the Sydney Thunder in the BBL.
The appointments come as the AfghanAtalan squad undergoes a preparatory camp in Abu Dhabi. The team is gearing up for the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series, which also features Pakistan and host UAE, as well as the ACC Men’s T20I Asia Cup 2025.
