Aasif Sheikh: The opener who exploded, faltered and excelled

A steady opener, Aasif Sheikh performs under pressure. Remember his composed half century against the mighty Indian bowling attack in the Asia Cup?

That knock showcased his temperament and ability to handle pressure situations.

Aasif burst onto the scene after he slammed a sensational century in the 2016 Everest Premier League final. It was the first ever Twenty20 century in Nepali domestic cricket, thus becoming pivotal in bringing him into the system.

But there is more story to it.

A return ticket unused

Aasif’s elder brother Aarif had already broken into the Nepal squad in 2014 following the latter’s exploits in the 2013 ACC U-19 Asia Cup.

The junior Sheikh had come to Kathmandu to meet his brother in a team camp at the TU grounds. Aasif tried out his hands at the nets and national team cricketer Sharad Vesawkar was among many impressed by his decent batting skills.

Aasif had 4:30 return ticket to his home town Birgunj but Sharad held him back and gave him a place in the Panchakanya Tej squad for the Everest Premier League.

Aasif had scored a gritty 67 against the same opponent in the league stage and what unfolded in the final from a 15 year old looked surreal. He completed his half century from 43 balls but then took just 16 deliveries to reach a century that had been elusive in Nepali Twenty20 domestic cricket.

Bumpy ride

Following his EPL pyrotechnics, Aasif did make the cut for age group teams but was burdened with huge expectations. Every time Aasif would go onto the field, people wanted to see the same Aasif from that final.

But international cricket was never going to be easy. If his domestic career had taken off with a bang, the age group cricket was equally testing, Aasif stuttered even against the lowly-ranked opponents.

With an uncertain batting position, Aasif would get the start but not the lift up. But the graceful starts were pleasing the eyes of the selectors, coaches or captains — the team think tank in general.

There was faith in him because Aasif’s present was an indication of his future.

For instance, Aasif had scored a solid 92 runs to notch up a 139-run opening wicket stand with Jitendra Singh Thakuri when Nepal were playing hosts Bangladesh U-19 as a part of their preparation for the 2017 ACC U-19 Asia Cup.

Although his position remained in doubt, Aasif knew his best chance would come in the top order.

Then comes the revelation

It was during the 2021 April Tri-Series against Malaysia and Netherlands that changed the dynamics of Nepali batting and Aasif’s cricketing career.

Opening the innings with Kushal Bhurtel in his debut series with the senior team, Aasif got involved in two century partnerships with two half centuries.

Nepal’s batting would now never look the same.

The Aasif-Kushal duo went on to form the nucleus of Nepali batting providing the starts that the country always longed for.

Since opening the innings, Aasif and Kushal have been involved in many 50 plus partnerships fetching desired results for the team.

Aasif played a crucial role in Nepal’s qualification for the Twenty20 World Cup with a watchful 64 not out from 51 deliveries in a tricky chase of 135 runs against UAE during the Asia Qualifier in Kathmandu.

Since his T20I debut, Aasif has scored over one thousand runs in the shorter format.

When he walks into the crease against the Netherlands in Dallas for Nepal’s first match of the Twenty20 World Cup, the country will expect a lot for him.

The expectation this time, however, will no longer burden him.