Ariful Islam Ready to Play for Karnali Yaks in Nepal Premier League

Young Bangladeshi batter Ariful Islam has signed with the Karnali Yaks for the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). Having already played in the Under-19 World Cup for Bangladesh, he impressed during the Top End T20 Series held in Australia, scoring 219 runs across seven matches. Karnali Yaks’ Cricket Director, Gyanendra Mall, expressed confidence that Ariful’s arrival will strengthen the team’s batting lineup.

Ariful has also represented Bangladesh’s high-performance squad and the ‘A’ team. In the tournament, he ranked third among the highest run-scorers, maintaining an average of 36.50 and a strike rate of 138.60. The right-handed batsman has previously participated in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), featuring for the Sylhet Strikers in the last season.

Gyanendra Mall stated, “Ariful is a talented and aggressive batsman. His performance in the Top End T20 Series was impressive. We are confident that his skills will further bolster Karnali Yaks’ batting strength. We hope he will showcase his talent and play a crucial role in the team’s success in the third edition of the NPL.” Karnali had already signed Mark Watt and Akbar Ali, with Ariful becoming the third foreign player to join the team this season. The third edition of the NPL is scheduled to begin on October 26.