Aasif Sheikh, a 23-year-old from Birjung, is the first-choice wicketkeeper for Nepal Men’s cricket team. In the 2024 fall, he signed up with the Janakpur Bolts, which competes in the Nepal Premier League.
Likewise, he has spent an excellent spell with the Pokhara Avengers.
The 23-year-old player moved to Lalitpur after spending most of his early days in Birjung.
Aasif Sheikh became the first player from Nepal to achieve a half-century against India in an international match, making history and leaving his mark on Nepalese cricket history.
Sheikh, the first-choice wicketkeeper for several teams within the country, has also established himself as one of the best batsmen in Monty Desai’s arsenal of cricketing superstars.
The Birjung-born player represents the Armed Police Force Club in the Prime Minister’s Domestic Cup and Pokhara Paltan in the Pokhara Premier League.
Shiekh has been breaking records left, right, and center, becoming popular among Nepalese cricket enthusiasts.
Key Takeaways:
- Aasif Sheikh is a 23-year-old from Birjung who represents Nepal Men’s cricket team as a wicketkeeper.
- Janakpur Bolts signed him for Nepal Premier League on October 6, 2024.
- Sheikh has played for Pokhara Avengers, Biratnagar Superkings, and the Armed Police Force.
- Aasif has a net worth of over NPR 50 lakhs.
Aasif Sheikh Is Native to Birjung: Hails From An Islamic Family With Cricket Enthusiasm
Aasif Sheikh, currently 23, was born to a Muslim family on 22 June 2001 in Birgunj, Nepal.
Sheikh spent most of his early days in Birjung; however, he moved to Lalitpur to pursue his cricket career.
Aasif, who often thanks his parents and brother for his incredible career so far, has not revealed much information to them. Moreover, he does not post about his family on social media.
His brother, Aarif Sheikh, is a cricket player who plays for the senior squad after serving as the team’s vice-captain for the under-19 division. Aarif is an all-around player who can bowl at medium pace with his right arm and bat with his right hand.
The 23-year-old wicketkeeper has not forgotten his background and origins. He posts pictures and videos of his travels to his hometown on social media and also shows his respect for his religious roots.
Aasif recently posted a picture of himself on Instagram in his religious dress to wish everyone an important day on Eid. He writes, “May Allah accept our good deeds, forgive our misdeeds, and ease the suffering. Eid Mubarak!!!! Stay safe and sound.”
Likewise, he was also seen at Ajmer Sharif Dargah Khwaja Gharib Nawaz r.a., the site of the holy dargah of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishty in July 2022.
In addition, he celebrated Eid-ul-fitra at the Hyatt Palace in Kathmandu.
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Sheikh Has Had An Incredible Career Journey: What Are His Achievements?
Sheikh started his domestic career playing for Panchakanya Tej, an Everest Premier League team that featured players like Karan KC, Sharad Veshwakar, Aarif Sheikh, and Dipender Singh Airee.
The Birjung-born was instrumental in the club’s first title run. He helped his side win the first Everest Premier League title in the 2016 season by scoring an undefeated 111 runs in the final.
At an average of 44, he amassed 202 runs in six games, making him the tournament’s top scorer. This was a great start to his beautiful journey.
While in India for the 2018 Quadrangular Cricket Tournament, he captained the Nepalese Under-19 team. He was selected to lead the Nepali national under-19 cricket team in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup 2018.
He participated in the 2019 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup as a member of the Under-19 team.
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International Career Standing At 23
Aasif has already made a decent career on the international stage and has several records under his name.
He was included in the 18-man national team for the closed camps for the T20I series against Qatar after finishing as the tournament’s second-highest scorer in the 2021 Prime Minister Cup, with 206 runs in five innings at an average of 41.20.
However, the tour was ultimately canceled because of the rising COVID-19 cases in Qatar.
After that, Aasif made his T20I debut against the Netherlands and was included in the 15-man national team for the 2020–21 Nepal Tri-Nation Series.
In T20Is, he led his team to a 9-wicket triumph with an undefeated half-century and a record first-wicket partnership of 116 runs.
The 23-year-old player and fellow opener Kushal Bhurtel shared another century stand when he hit 42 runs in the series’ second game against Malaysia. In the series, he amassed 154 runs with a strike rate of 138.73 and an average of 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.
He was also included in the team for the sixth round of the 2019–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 event held in Oman. On September 7, 2021, he played his first ODI for Nepal against Papua New Guinea.
Sheikh’s first ODI century came in a match against Papua New Guinea in March 2023. In May 2024, he was included in Nepal’s team for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
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Where Does He Play Now?
Aasif plays domestically at the Nepal Premiere League’s Janakpur Bolts after they acquired him in the auction in October 2024. The 2024 NPL starts on November November 30 and runs through December 21, 2024.
In the Janakpur Bolts, Aasif Sheikh shares the team locker with fellow players, including Nepal’s notable cricketers Lalit Rajbansi and Anil Kumar Sah and New Zealand’s Jimmy Neesham.
Sheikh’s Honours And Records
Sheikh has earned several trophies for his beautiful performances. He is a member of an honorary club to score 200 runs and take ten wicket-keeping dismissals in a series. Likewise, he has the 8th Most runs in a series by a wicket-keeper with 685 runs.
He has 12 ODI cricket half-centuries, making him the only Nepalese player with such a record.
However, trophies are not the only thing that he has won.
At the 2022 ICC Awards, he was recognized as the 2022 ICC Spirit of Cricket Award recipient for refusing to run out Irish player Andy McBrine during a Twenty20 International match between Ireland and Nepal in February 2022.
The game was played as part of the Quadrangular series in Oman. Midway up the pitch, Mcbrine struck the bowler and went down.
When Sheikh understood, he let Mcbrine finish the run. Sheikh later won the ICC’s Spirit of Cricket Award, making him the first player from Nepal to do so.
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What Is Aasif Sheikh’s Net Worth? How Much Does He Earn?
Aasif Sheikh’s estimated net worth is around 50 Lakhs. His wealth comes from his salary from the Cricket Association of Nepal, his paycheck from various clubs, and several brand endorsements.
CAN ranks him a Grade A player and pays him NPR 100,000 monthly, the joint highest salary of the national cricket team.
Moroever, he earns a decent amount from his clubs, including the Armed Police Force (APF), Janakpur Bolts, and Pokhara Avengers. Likewise, he previously played for Biratnagar Super Kings.
Furthermore, the young player also has brand endorsements with many businesses. For instance, he recently signed up with Elite Movers Education Consultancy as a brand promoter and partner.
Likewise, he has brand endorsements from the businesses SS Sports, Vianet, and Sipradi. The details about the endorsement deals have not yet been made public, but we can anticipate that the player is earning a decent amount, which adds to his overall net worth.
Who is Aasif Sheikh’s Girlfriend? Details on His Relationship
Aasif Sheikh is supposedly single at the time of this writing.
The 23-year-old player has not opened up about his partner or dating life. Moreover, his Instagram account, available under the username @sheikh_aasif7, does not hint that he is dating anyone in October 2024.
Likewise, he has not been seen in public with anyone, which means he is less likely to be dating anyone.
The player who has been Monty Desai’s favorite as the starting wicketkeeper has a lot of competition in the team, like youngster Arjun Saud and many more. As a result, it seems like the player is focusing more on his career.
FAQs
Aasif Sheikh’s net worth is over NPR 50 lakhs, from his salary at CAN, his memberships in different clubs, and his brand endorsements.
No, Aasif Sheikh does not have a girlfriend as of 2024.
Aasif Sheikh earns NPR 100,000 from CAN as a Grade A player.
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Bidhya Sagar Shrestha is an experienced content writer with a solid content creation and digital marketing background. His majors in entrepreneurship and marketing give him a deep understanding of business environments and marketing strategies.
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