Kabul, 27 August 2025: The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced the appointments of John Mooney as the new Fielding Coach and Nirmalan Thanabalasingam as the new Physiotherapist for the national team, ahead of their upcoming T20I assignments.
Both professionals have joined the AfghanAtalan setup for the ongoing training and preparation camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of the Tri-Nation T20I Series featuring Pakistan and host UAE, as well as the ACC Men’s T20I Asia Cup 2025.
John Mooney returns as fielding coach
A former Ireland international, John Mooney brings extensive experience, having played in 91 international matches and represented Ireland in three ICC Cricket World Cups (2007, 2011, 2015) and two ICC Men’s T20 World Cups.
Mooney holds Level 1, 2, and 3 ECB Coaching Certificates and is no stranger to Afghanistan cricket, having previously served as the national team’s fielding coach from 2018 to 2019. He has also coached the West Indies national team in 2019 and, most recently, worked with the Ireland Women’s National Team as a Relief Coach.
Nirmalan Thanabalasingam joins as team physiotherapist
Nirmalan Thanabalasingam, an Australian sports physiotherapist with a rich background in high-performance rehab and cricket fitness, has been appointed as the national team’s new physiotherapist.
Nirmalan completed his Master of Physiotherapy (2010) and Bachelor of Applied Science in Exercise and Sports Science (2008) from the University of Sydney. He is a registered practitioner with the Physiotherapy Board of Australia and a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA).
Professionally, he has worked with several elite teams, including:
Desert Vipers (ILT20) – Team Physiotherapist since 2020
Sri Lanka Cricket – High Performance Training & Rehab Manager (2017–2018)
Cricket NSW, Rangpur Riders (BPL), Montreal Tigers (GT20 Canada), ICC World XI
Sydney Thunder (BBL) and West Harbour Rugby Union Club
Since 2018, he has been serving as the Senior Physiotherapist at Concord Sports Medicine, with a specialty in sports injuries and exercise-based rehabilitation.
Afghanistan eyes strong preparation for Asia Cup 2025
The additions of Mooney and Thanabalasingam come as the AfghanAtalan intensify their preparations in Abu Dhabi. The team will participate in a Tri-Nation T20I Series followed by the high-stakes ACC Men’s T20I Asia Cup 2025.
The ACB’s latest appointments underscore its focus on high-performance coaching and athlete welfare, with experienced professionals helping the team gear up for a crucial stretch in the T20I calendar.
