Twice unbeaten — the finisher’s job, done quietly
Aarif Sheikh has scored 59 runs in five matches for Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL Season 3, and two of those innings ended with him not out. He is a retained batter in a side second in the table on 8 points, and his role has been to close innings out rather than open them up.
Batter. Retained for Season 3. Head coach: Misbah-ul-Haq. Captain: Dipendra Singh Airee.
Season 3 in numbers
All figures cover matches through Match 21, played on Tuesday 10 November 2026.
| Matches | Runs | Best | Average | Strike rate | 4s | 6s | 50s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting | 5 | 59 | 20* | 19.67 | 84.3 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Matches | Wickets | Runs | Average | Economy | Overs | Maidens | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling | Has not bowled in Season 3. | ||||||
Numbers from the NPL season file, updated 10 November 2026, covering matches through Match 21. Strike rate is runs per 100 balls; economy is runs per over.
Match by match
Every innings and every spell, newest first. An asterisk means not out.
| Match | Runs | Balls | Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 6 | Lumbini Lions |
| 8 | 17* | 8 | Biratnagar Kings |
| 11 | 20* | 26 | Chitwan Rhinos |
| 16 | 11 | 14 | Karnali Yaks |
| 21 | 11 | 16 | Janakpur Bolts |
What the numbers mean
The pattern of his season is clear from the match list. He made 0 against Lumbini Lions in the opener, then 17 not out off 8 balls in the rain-shortened five-over match against Biratnagar Kings, 20 not out off 26 in the five-wicket win over Chitwan Rhinos, and 11 in each of the last two matches, against Karnali Yaks and Janakpur Bolts. Three of his five innings have reached double figures; none has passed 20.
That is both his value and his limit so far. A strike rate of 84.3 is the slowest among the Royals’ regular batters, but two not-outs in five innings show he is hard to shift once set — and in a side that has defended 120 in Match 21 and chased 130 in Match 11, a batter who stays in is worth having. The next step is a score past 20: the Royals’ only fifty this season belongs to captain Dipendra Singh Airee, and the middle order has not yet produced a second one.
Where the Royals stand
The Royals sit second in the NPL points table on 8 points from six matches — four wins, two losses, net run rate +0.069 — level with leaders Kathmandu Gorkhas and behind them only on net run rate. They are already certain of a playoff place: only three teams can still pass 8 points, so even a defeat in the last league match leaves them no lower than fourth. The fight now is for the top two, who go straight to Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 17 November; third and fourth go to the Eliminator on Wednesday 18 November. One league match remains: Kathmandu Gorkhas on Friday 13 November at 12:30 PM NST (11:45 AM PKT, 6:45 AM UTC) at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Win it and the Royals reach 10 points — only Lumbini Lions could still pass them.
Frequently asked questions
How many runs has Aarif Sheikh scored in NPL 2026?
59 runs in five matches, at a strike rate of 84.3, with a highest score of 20 not out. He has been unbeaten twice — 17 not out against Biratnagar Kings and 20 not out against Chitwan Rhinos — and his other three innings were 0, 11 and 11.
What is Aarif Sheikh’s role for Sudurpaschim Royals?
Batter. He was retained by the Royals for Season 3 and bats in the middle order, where his job has been to finish innings rather than set them up — two of his five innings this season have ended not out.
When does Aarif Sheikh play next?
Match 24 against Kathmandu Gorkhas on Friday 13 November 2026, 12:30 PM NST (11:45 AM PKT, 6:45 AM UTC), at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. It is the Royals’ last league match before the playoffs.
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