Afghanistan bring back John Mooney as fielding coach

John Mooney, the former Ireland international, returns to the Afghanistan national camp after a gap of six years. The Afghanistan Cricket Board announced that Mooney has been appointed as the team’s new fielding coach.

Mooney, who helped Afghanistan sharpen their fielding skills from 2018 to 2019, was hired after the departure of Shane McDermott, who is currently involved with Pakistan as fielding coach.

Afghanistan are currently undergoing a training and preparation camp in Abu Dhabi as they gear up for the tri-nation T20I series, which features Pakistan and hosts UAE, as well as the T20I Asia Cup 2025.

A full-strength Afghanistan unit will participate in the Asia Cup after the ACB announced their 17-member squad for the event. Allah Ghazanfar and Mujeeb-Ur-Rahman, who both missed the Champions Trophy earlier this year, have returned to the national setup to strengthen the spin attack that will be led by skipper Rashid Khan and senior pro Mohammad Nabi. Ibrahim Zadran, who made his comeback in the Champions Trophy, features in the squad too with Hazratullah Zazai making way.

Darwish Rasooli and Sediqullah Atal are the specialist batters while Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Mohammad Ishaq are the keeper-bats included in the squad. Afghanistan have a fairly settled core of all-rounders including the 40-year-old Nabi. Alongside him, the squad comprises of Azmatullah Omarzai, Karim Janat, and Gulbadin Naib.

The pace battery will be spearheaded by left-arm pacer Fazalhaq Farooqi with Naveen-ul-Haq, with Farid Ahmad Malik also being in the mix. If he makes it to the team sheet, this will be Naveen’s first game for Afghanistan in 2025, similar to Mujeeb and Ghazanfar, considering the pacer had already called it quits in the 50-over format.

The squad also contains three travelling reserves: Wafiullah Tarakhail, Nangyal Kharote, Abdullah Ahmadzai. Afghanistan will gear up for the Asian competition by partaking in a tri-series against UAE and Pakistan from this week, where most cricketers from this squad will be in action.