Aarif Sheikh is a Nepali batter who will represent Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL Season 3 after the club retained him for a third straight season. His 166 runs at an average of 33.20 in the reported Season 2 figures were second among Royals batters, and he has been with the club since its first-ever NPL match, the 90-run win over Biratnagar Kings. A long-serving Nepal international, he starred in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup quarter-final run and was part of the 2026 T20 World Cup squad.
In Nepal Premier League 2026, Sheikh offers stability at four or five plus a sixth bowling option with his right-arm medium. The Royals keep him because he rebuilds innings when early wickets fall.
About Aarif Sheikh
Aarif Sheikh is a Nepali batter who has been part of the Sudurpaschim Royals setup since the franchise's first season, and the club retained him for Season 3 after he scored 166 runs in the reported Season 2 figures. A right-hand batter who bowls right-arm medium, he is also a long-serving Nepal international who was part of the 2016 Under-19 World Cup quarter-final run and the 2026 T20 World Cup squad. His ODI record shows the same staying power: a first fifty against Papua New Guinea in 2022, an unbeaten 51 against Scotland in Dallas in 2024, and twin scores of 78 and 84 against the Netherlands in 2025. At the 2016 Under-19 World Cup he starred in the wins over New Zealand and Ireland that carried Nepal to the quarter-finals. He also played in the franchise's first-ever NPL match, scoring 9 in the win over Biratnagar Kings.
Playing style and strengths
Sheikh's method is built on occupation of the crease rather than boundary-hunting from ball one. Seven innings in Season 2 produced 166 runs at 33.20, the second-highest Royals tally behind Binod Bhandari's 201, with 14 fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 116.08. Those numbers describe a batter who rotates strike and picks his moments rather than living on the boundary rope. His right-arm medium gives captain Dipendra Singh Airee a part-time option to break a partnership or squeeze a quiet over through the middle phase. The 78 and 84 against the Netherlands in 2025 show he can convert starts into match-shaping ODI innings when the platform is set, and his fielding in the inner ring has been part of Nepal's setup for a decade.
Aarif Sheikh's role at Sudurpaschim Royals in Season 3
At Sudurpaschim Royals in Season 3, Sheikh's job is to be the stabiliser between the domestic top order and the overseas power of Brandon McMullen and Saif Ali Zaib. With Bhandari keeping and batting high and captain Airee holding the middle, Sheikh slots at four or five as the right-hander who rebuilds if early wickets fall. His Season 2 average of 33.20, second only to Bhandari among Royals batters, already validated that role. His part-time medium pace adds a sixth-bowling option on days when the frontline attack needs cover. Retained for a third straight season, he is one of the domestic pillars Airee's back-to-back runners-up side is built around, the calm head the finishers bat around.
Player details
| Full name | Aarif Sheikh |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 1997 |
| Birthplace | Birgunj, Nepal |
| Country | Nepal |
| Playing role | Batter |
| Batting style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling style | Right-arm medium |
Aarif Sheikh at NPL 2026
Verified season-by-season NPL figures for Aarif Sheikh. Figures marked unavailable were not published in the verified record behind this page.
| Season | Team | Matches | Runs | HS | Avg | Wkts | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPL 2024 (Season 1) | Sudurpaschim Royals | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| NPL 2025 (Season 2) | Sudurpaschim Royals | Not publicly available | 166 | Not publicly available | 33.20 | — | — |
| NPL 2026 (Season 3) | Sudurpaschim Royals | Season not yet played | — | — | — | — | — |
Records & achievements
- 166 runs at 33.20 in the reported Season 2 figures, second among Royals batters behind Binod Bhandari
- Key figure in Nepal's run to the 2016 Under-19 World Cup quarter-finals, starring in wins over New Zealand and Ireland
- First ODI fifty against Papua New Guinea in 2022; unbeaten 51 against Scotland in Dallas in 2024; 78 and 84 against the Netherlands in 2025
- Member of Nepal's 2026 T20 World Cup squad
- Played in the franchise's first-ever NPL match, scoring 9 in the win over Biratnagar Kings
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team does Aarif Sheikh play for in NPL Season 3?
Sudurpaschim Royals, who retained him ahead of the Season 3 auction.
What is Aarif Sheikh's playing role?
Batter. He is a right-hand batter who bowls right-arm medium.
How many runs did Aarif Sheikh score in the reported NPL Season 2 figures?
166 runs from seven innings at an average of 33.20 and a strike rate of 116.08, with 14 fours and five sixes.
When was Aarif Sheikh born?
In October 1997 in Birgunj, Nepal.
Follow Sudurpaschim Royals
Sudurpaschim Royals squad lists every player and how each one joined the Season 3 side.
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