Aasif Sheikh, a right-handed wicket-keeper batsman who was born in Nepal on January 22, 2001, plays cricket. In April 2021, he debuted for Nepal’s National Cricket Team against the Netherlands.

He represents Pokhara Paltan in the Pokhara Premier League and the Armed Police Force Club in the Mayor’s Cup competition in Kathmandu.

Cricket Career

Aasif plays in the Everest Premier League for Panchakanya Tej. In the 2016 Everest Premier League final, he scored an unbroken 111 runs, helping his team win the inaugural EPL championship. He scored 202 runs in six games, averaging 44.00, making him the tournament’s top run-scorer.

In India’s 2018 Quadrangular Cricket Tournament, he served as the captain of the Nepalese Under-19 team. Later, during the 2018 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, he was selected as the captain of the Nepal national under-19 cricket team. In the 2019 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, he also played for the Under-19 team.

In the year 2021 Prime Minister Cup, where he scored 206 runs in five innings at an average of 41.20, he finished as the second-highest run-scorer. He was chosen to be part of the 18-person national team for the private training sessions leading up to the T20I series against Qatar, however, the tour was eventually delayed due to the rise in COVID-19 cases in Qatar.

Asif was later selected for the 15-player national team for the 2020–21 Nepal Tri-Nation series and played his first T20I against the Netherlands. He led Nepal to a 9-wicket triumph in T20Is with an unbeaten half-century and a record-breaking first-wicket partnership of 116 runs. In the second game of the series against Malaysia, he hit 42 runs and partnered with fellow opener Kushal Bhurtel for another Century. He had a strike rate of 138.73 and scored 154 runs in the series, averaging 38.50.

Aasif was selected for Nepal’s One Day International (ODI) team in August 2021 for their series against Papua New Guinea in Oman as well as their roster for round six of the 2019–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 competition, which was also held in Oman. On 7 September 2021, he made his ODI debut for Nepal against Papua New Guinea.

Sheikh got his first century in ODIs against Papua New Guinea in March 2023.

Awards and Honors

He received the 2022 ICC Spirit of Cricket Award at the 2022 ICC Awards in honour of his choice not to run out Irish player Andy McBrine during a T20I match between Ireland and Nepal in February 2022, which had been played as part of the quadrangular series held in Oman. When McBrine collided with the bowler and went down the top half of the pitch, Sheikh became aware of the situation and allowed McBrine to finish off. The ICC’s Spirit of Cricket Award was later given to Sheikh, the first player from Nepal to receive it.

Personal Life

He is the younger brother of Nepa’s National Cricket Team Captain Aarif Sheikh.

Bio Data

Born: Jan 22, 2001 (22 years)

Role: WK-Batsman

Batting Style: Right-Handed Bat

Bowling Style: Right-arm medium

Nationality Nepali

Sport Cricket

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