England · All-rounder

Saif Zaib: Stats, 196 Not Out and NPL Career

Saif Zaib is an English all-rounder who bats left-handed and bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin. Born on 22 May 1998, he was 28 on 24 August 2026. His career combines a record-breaking Northamptonshire rise with high-impact T20 cricket: six County Championship hundreds in 2025, a first-class best of 196 not out, the inaugural Nepal Premier League Player of the Tournament award and a return to Sudur Paschim Royals for the 2026 NPL season.

By StumpScope Cricket Desk · Edited by StumpScope Editorial Team

Left-handedSlow left-arm orthodox bowlerBorn 22 May 1998

Current squadSudur Paschim RoyalsNepal Premier League · Confirmed by Sudur Paschim Royals for Nepal Premier League 2026 after representing Northamptonshire and Southern Brave earlier in the year

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Full nameSaif Ali Zaib

Age28As of 24 August 2026

Date of birth22 May 1998High Wycombe, England

Batting styleLeft-handed

Bowling styleSlow left-arm orthodox

Career overview

Saif Zaib cricket career

Born on 22 May 1998 in High Wycombe; aged 28 on 24 August 2026.

Left-handed all-rounder who bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin.

Northamptonshire's youngest first-team representative when he appeared aged 15 in 2014.

Scored 1,425 County Championship runs with six centuries in 2025.

First-class high score: 196 not out against Kent in 2025.

Won the inaugural Nepal Premier League Player of the Tournament award after 275 runs and 12 wickets in 2024.

Career story

Saif Zaib career and playing journey

Who is Saif Zaib?

Saif Zaib is an English batting all-rounder contracted to Northamptonshire and confirmed as an overseas player for Sudur Paschim Royals in the 2026 Nepal Premier League. He bats left-handed and provides slow left-arm orthodox spin, a combination that lets teams use him in the middle order and as a matchup bowler.

His full name is Saif Ali Zaib. Northamptonshire has been the constant in his senior career since he first appeared for the county as a teenager, while Northern Superchargers, Southern Brave and Sudur Paschim Royals have supplied franchise opportunities.

Zaib's record is no longer built mainly on potential. A 1,425-run County Championship season in 2025, a 196 not out, a List A century in a record chase and an all-round NPL award establish substantial achievements in red-ball, 50-over and T20 cricket.

How old is Saif Zaib?

Saif Zaib was 28 years old on 24 August 2026. He was born on 22 May 1998 in High Wycombe, England.

The date matters because his senior pathway started unusually early. Northamptonshire says he represented its first team in a friendly against Durham University in 2014 when he was 15, before making a List A appearance soon after his 16th birthday.

Zaib attended Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, and entered Northamptonshire's development system. His birthplace and county pathway identify the English player discussed here and distinguish him from cricketers with similar surnames.

How did Saif Zaib become Northamptonshire's youngest first-team player?

Zaib became Northamptonshire's youngest first-team representative when he appeared against Durham University in a 2014 friendly aged 15. The match was not a senior first-class fixture, but it put him inside the county's first-team environment earlier than most academy players.

He made his List A debut against New Zealand A at Northampton on 31 July 2014. BBC Sport reported that Northamptonshire then gave the teenager a three-year professional contract in October, a longer-term commitment rather than a one-match experiment.

His first-class debut followed against Kent on 4 August 2015. Those three steps—friendly exposure, List A debut and first-class debut—belong to different match classifications, so they should not be compressed into one generic debut date.

Why did Saif Zaib take time to establish himself?

Early selection did not immediately produce a permanent county place. Northamptonshire's account of his maiden first-class hundred describes periods in and out of the team and a 2,559-day wait between his first-team appearance and that century.

Zaib began the 2021 season with 140 in the Second XI and was moved into the senior side. He made 41 after Northamptonshire had slipped to 76 for 5 against Glamorgan, then added another fifty on a difficult Headingley pitch before the breakthrough against Sussex.

The progression matters more than a simple 'teenage prodigy' label. He was exposed to senior cricket young, but the durable county role came through later technical and tactical development rather than an uninterrupted rise.

When did Saif Zaib score his first first-class century?

Zaib scored his maiden first-class century against Sussex in May 2021. He made 135 and shared a 198-run stand with captain Adam Rossington, helping Northamptonshire build the position for its first innings victory since 2017.

The innings came 2,559 days after his first Northamptonshire appearance. Zaib credited his family and the county coaches who had supported him through the uneven early years, while academy coach Phil Rowe described the development path as one with ups and downs.

That 135 was not merely an isolated high score. It marked the point at which Zaib began converting county opportunities into longer innings, a skill that later produced ten first-class hundreds by the 11 August 2026 statistical cutoff.

What did Saif Zaib achieve in 2024?

Zaib scored more than 900 runs and took 29 wickets across formats for Northamptonshire in 2024. The club named him its Batter of the Season and One Day Cup Player of the Year before extending his contract through at least the end of 2027.

His white-ball highlight was 86 from 41 balls against Birmingham Bears. Zaib struck eight fours and six sixes, and Northamptonshire won by 11 runs to secure its first Vitality Blast quarter-final place in four years.

The season also included a County Championship century against Glamorgan. Runs in three formats plus 29 wickets explain why Northamptonshire described his value in all three areas—batting, bowling and fielding—rather than treating him as a batter who occasionally bowls.

How good was Saif Zaib's 2025 County Championship season?

Zaib finished the 2025 County Championship as the leading run-scorer across both divisions. Northamptonshire's final report records 1,425 runs, six centuries and seven fifties, the third-highest season aggregate by a Northamptonshire batter in the 21st century.

He became the county's first player since Ben Duckett in 2016 to pass 1,000 Championship runs in a season. Earlier in the campaign, Northamptonshire's award-voting brief had him averaging above 60 and sitting second in Division Two; his final 58 against Leicestershire then took the completed total to 1,425.

Six hundreds show repeated conversion rather than one dominant innings carrying the aggregate. The volume also changed the shape of his career table: by August 2026 he had 4,263 first-class runs and ten centuries from 82 matches.

What happened in Saif Zaib's 196 not out against Kent?

Zaib made a career-best 196 not out against Kent in July 2025. He and Justin Broad, who finished unbeaten on 157, added an unbroken 298 for the seventh wicket as Northamptonshire declared on 722 for 6.

The total was the highest by any team at Canterbury at that time, passing Australia's 676 from 1921. The partnership also set a Northamptonshire seventh-wicket record, overtaking the 293 shared by David Sales and David Ripley.

Kent survived at 160 for 8, so the performance ended in a draw rather than a Northamptonshire win. Zaib's 196 remains a career batting record, while the match result prevents the innings from being described as a match-winning double century.

How did Saif Zaib respond in the 2026 County Championship?

Zaib scored 142 against Gloucestershire in June 2026 after a quieter start to the season. Northamptonshire's report calls it his first hundred of the summer and notes 17 fours and two sixes in an innings that restored control after the side had fallen to 41 for 3.

He added 261 with Nathan McSweeney, who made 117. It was Northamptonshire's highest first-class fourth-wicket partnership against Gloucestershire, breaking a record set by Mushtaq Mohammad and David Steele in 1966.

The contrast with 2025 is useful. Zaib did not simply continue scoring a hundred every few matches; he had to work through a leaner opening before producing the 142. That makes the innings a return-to-form performance, not proof that every part of 2026 matched his record 2025 volume.

What is Saif Zaib's List A record?

Zaib's List A snapshot stands at 35 matches, 791 runs and 30 wickets through 11 August 2026. He averages 29.29 with the bat, has one hundred and four fifties, and owns best bowling figures of 4 for 23.

His standout innings is 136 against Essex in August 2022. Zaib reached his hundred from 79 balls, hit 14 fours and four sixes, and shared 212 with captain Will Young as Northamptonshire chased 344—the county's highest successful one-day chase at the time.

He retired hurt on 129, returned with 110 still needed and struck a six from his first ball back. Northamptonshire won by three wickets with two balls remaining, giving the maiden List A century both personal and match context.

What kind of T20 player is Saif Zaib?

Zaib is a middle-order left-hander whose value comes from scoring pace and a second skill. The 11 August 2026 career snapshot lists 1,792 T20 runs from 112 matches, eight fifties, a high score of 92 and 23 wickets with best figures of 3 for 12.

The raw batting average of 23.89 needs T20 context. His roles often demand acceleration rather than long occupation, illustrated by the 86 from 41 balls that secured Northamptonshire's 2024 quarter-final place and the unbeaten 37 from 22 balls that finished a chase against Derbyshire in 2023.

Slow left-arm spin gives a captain another matchup against right-handed batters, but Zaib is not selected as a frontline bowler in every match. His usefulness lies in changing the balance of an XI: a team can add batting depth without giving up every chance of a spin over.

Did Saif Zaib win the 2026 Vitality Blast?

Zaib represented Northamptonshire during its 2026 Vitality Blast campaign, which ended with the Steelbacks winning their third title. Northamptonshire beat Hampshire Hawks by 14 runs in the final at Edgbaston on 18 July.

His clearest late group-stage contribution was 37 against Warwickshire, the highest score in Northamptonshire's 153 all out. The Steelbacks lost that match but had already secured a home quarter-final before progressing to Finals Day.

The trophy belongs to the squad and county; it does not turn Zaib's 37 into a final score or prove he played every match. His personal record should be read from the appearances and scorecards, while the championship remains the team's completed-season achievement.

Why did Southern Brave sign Saif Zaib for The Hundred?

Southern Brave selected Zaib through the 2026 Vitality Wildcard process. The franchise described him as a dependable middle-order finisher and cited a career strike rate of 147.79 across 76 innings at the time of the announcement.

The wildcard mechanism was designed to reward current domestic form. Zaib's T20 experience, left-handed batting and spin option gave Southern Brave cover in more than one role, while the official roster connected him to the same player who remained under contract at Northamptonshire.

Squad selection and career record answer different questions. The signing proves that he joined Southern Brave for the 2026 tournament; it does not add a match to his total until he appears on a scorecard, and it does not replace Northamptonshire as his county employer.

Why was Saif Zaib named NPL Player of the Tournament?

Zaib won the Player of the Tournament award in the inaugural Nepal Premier League in 2024. He made 275 runs and took 12 wickets in nine matches for Sudur Paschim Royals, combining two substantial disciplines rather than winning on batting volume alone.

His batting return included two fifties, a high score of 90 and a strike rate a little above 136. With the ball he operated at an economy rate close to 6.24, valuable control in a T20 competition played at Kirtipur.

Sudur Paschim reached the final against Janakpur Bolts. Zaib made 69 and helped the Royals post 184 for 9, then dismissed Aasif Sheikh, but Janakpur completed the chase with four balls remaining. The individual award therefore came from the tournament as a whole, not from winning the final.

Is Saif Zaib playing in the 2026 Nepal Premier League?

Yes. Sudur Paschim Royals confirmed Saif Zaib as their first overseas signing for Nepal Premier League 2026. The move returns him to the franchise where he won the inaugural competition's top individual award.

The signing was reported in August 2026, after his English domestic and Hundred commitments. It establishes squad membership for the upcoming NPL season, while availability and match participation will still depend on the final schedule, registration and selection.

Zaib's earlier success gives Sudur Paschim a player familiar with the Kirtipur conditions and the franchise's core. His 275-run, 12-wicket 2024 campaign is relevant evidence; it is not a forecast that the same numbers will repeat in 2026.

What do Saif Zaib's current career statistics show?

The statistical table dated 11 August 2026 lists 82 first-class matches, 4,263 runs and 51 wickets. Zaib averages 34.94 with the bat, has ten hundreds and 21 fifties, and owns a batting high of 196 not out plus best bowling figures of 6 for 115.

His List A row contains 35 matches, 791 runs and 30 wickets. The T20 row contains 112 matches, 1,792 runs and 23 wickets. Each format has its own rules and match pool, so the three rows should not be added into an invented all-cricket total.

The table is a dated career snapshot rather than a live scoreboard. Northamptonshire, Southern Brave and Sudur Paschim appearances after that cutoff can change the aggregates; completed match reports remain the better source for the specific performances explained in this biography.

What are Saif Zaib's best batting and bowling figures?

Zaib's first-class high score is 196 not out, his List A high is 136 and his T20 high is 92. His best bowling returns are 6 for 115 in first-class cricket, 4 for 23 in List A cricket and 3 for 12 in T20s.

These figures come from separate competitions and cannot be blended into one performance. The 196* was part of Northamptonshire's record total at Kent, while the 136 drove a record one-day chase against Essex.

The bowling figures reinforce his all-rounder status, but the career volume is batting-led: 4,263 first-class runs compared with 51 wickets at the dated cutoff. 'Batting all-rounder' is therefore a more precise shorthand than describing him as a frontline specialist spinner.

What are Saif Zaib's main records and achievements?

Zaib's main individual achievements are the 2024 NPL Player of the Tournament award, Northamptonshire's 2024 Batter of the Season and One Day Cup Player of the Year honours, and a 2025 County Championship campaign of 1,425 runs and six centuries.

His match records include 196 not out in Northamptonshire's ground-record 722 for 6 at Canterbury, a county-record 298-run seventh-wicket partnership with Justin Broad, and 136 in Northamptonshire's highest successful one-day chase.

In 2026 he added 142 and a record 261-run fourth-wicket stand against Gloucestershire. He also belonged to Northamptonshire's title-winning Blast campaign and joined Southern Brave through the Vitality Wildcard route before his NPL return was confirmed.

What is known about Saif Zaib's salary and net worth?

No audited public source establishes Saif Zaib's total net worth, annual income or take-home salary. Northamptonshire has published the length of his county contract, but not a complete compensation figure.

The ECB's 2026 Hundred registered-player list placed him in a £31,000 band. That number was an auction or registration condition, not proof of his final Wildcard payment, after-tax income, endorsement revenue or personal wealth.

Sudur Paschim's 2026 announcement likewise confirms a professional overseas agreement without disclosing every financial term. A defensible biography can describe known contracts and awards, but converting them into a guessed net-worth total would be misleading.

What is known about Saif Zaib's family and personal life?

Northamptonshire's 2021 feature identifies Zaib's father as Sajid and describes the support of his father and wider family during the long wait for a maiden first-class hundred. Zaib also spoke about reaching the milestone during Ramadan and the importance of repaying that support.

Reliable sources reviewed for this profile do not establish a wife, girlfriend, children or private residence. Social photographs and unsourced biography pages are not enough to turn a personal-life claim into a fact.

The supported family story is therefore about his cricket development: a family that stayed with him through an early debut, inconsistent selection and the eventual 2021 breakthrough. More private detail is left private unless Zaib or a dependable source makes it public.

What comes next for Saif Zaib?

Zaib's next confirmed franchise assignment is the 2026 Nepal Premier League with Sudur Paschim Royals. His Northamptonshire contract runs through at least the end of 2027, giving the county relationship a longer horizon than one franchise season.

The immediate questions are cricket-specific: where Sudur Paschim uses him in the batting order, how much spin he bowls, and whether his earlier Kirtipur success transfers to a new season. Each answer will come from selection and completed scorecards, not from the reputation created in 2024.

At 28, Zaib has moved from a young prospect to an experienced multi-format professional. The strongest future updates will be new match performances, contract decisions and formal squad announcements rather than speculation about international selection.

Saif Zaib records

Saif Zaib career statistics and records

Batting, bowling and fielding figures are kept separate by competition and format.

First-class: table dated 11 August 202682matches

Batting

Runs: 4,263
High score: 196*
Average: 34.94
100s / 50s: 10 / 21

Bowling & fielding

Wickets: 51
Best bowling: 6/115
Average: 39.09
Balls: 3,520
Catches / stumpings: 32
5w / 10w: 2 / 0

Only fields published by the named source are shown; unavailable values are not guessed.

List A: table dated 11 August 202635matches

Batting

Runs: 791
High score: 136
Average: 29.29
100s / 50s: 1 / 4

Bowling & fielding

Wickets: 30
Best bowling: 4/23
Average: 34.10
Balls: 1,146
Catches / stumpings: 9
5w / 10w: 0 / 0

Only fields published by the named source are shown; unavailable values are not guessed.

T20: table dated 11 August 2026112matches

Batting

Runs: 1,792
High score: 92
Average: 23.89
100s / 50s: 0 / 8

Bowling & fielding

Wickets: 23
Best bowling: 3/12
Average: 31.60
Balls: 533
Catches / stumpings: 45
5w / 10w: 0 / 0

Only fields published by the named source are shown; unavailable values are not guessed.

Career chronology

Debut and last listed match

Northamptonshire pathway

Debut

First-team friendly aged 15 in 2014

Last listed match

Contracted through at least the end of 2027

List A

Debut

31 July 2014 v New Zealand A

Last listed match

35 matches through 11 August 2026

First-class

Debut

4 August 2015 v Kent

Last listed match

82 matches through 11 August 2026

T20

Debut

27 July 2017 v Warwickshire

Last listed match

112 matches through 11 August 2026

The Hundred

Debut

Northern Superchargers squad in 2023

Last listed match

Southern Brave wildcard selection in 2026

Nepal Premier League

Debut

Player of the Tournament for Sudur Paschim Royals in 2024

Last listed match

Confirmed to return for NPL 2026

Career achievements

Career achievements and milestones

Became Northamptonshire's youngest first-team representative at age 15 in 2014.
Scored 136 in Northamptonshire's record successful one-day chase against Essex in 2022.
Won Northamptonshire's 2024 Batter of the Season and One Day Cup Player of the Year awards.
Named 2024 Nepal Premier League Player of the Tournament after 275 runs and 12 wickets.
Made 1,425 County Championship runs with six centuries in 2025.
Set a first-class high of 196 not out and shared a county-record 298-run seventh-wicket stand against Kent.
Scored 142 in a record 261-run fourth-wicket partnership against Gloucestershire in 2026.

Reader questions

Saif Zaib FAQ

How old is Saif Zaib?

Saif Zaib was 28 on 24 August 2026. He was born on 22 May 1998 in High Wycombe, England.

Which team does Saif Zaib play for?

Saif Zaib is contracted to Northamptonshire through at least 2027 and is confirmed to represent Sudur Paschim Royals in Nepal Premier League 2026. He also played for Southern Brave in The Hundred during 2026.

What is Saif Zaib's role?

Saif Zaib is a batting all-rounder. He bats left-handed and bowls slow left-arm orthodox spin.

What is Saif Zaib's highest score?

Saif Zaib's first-class high score is 196 not out, made for Northamptonshire against Kent in 2025. His List A high is 136 and his T20 high is 92.

How many runs did Saif Zaib score in the 2025 County Championship?

Saif Zaib scored 1,425 County Championship runs in 2025, the most across both divisions. His season included six centuries and seven fifties.

Did Saif Zaib win NPL Player of the Tournament?

Yes. Saif Zaib was the inaugural Nepal Premier League Player of the Tournament in 2024 after scoring 275 runs and taking 12 wickets in nine matches for Sudur Paschim Royals.

Is Saif Zaib playing in NPL 2026?

Yes. Sudur Paschim Royals confirmed Saif Zaib as their first overseas signing for Nepal Premier League 2026.

What are Saif Zaib's best bowling figures?

His best first-class figures are 6 for 115, his List A best is 4 for 23 and his T20 best is 3 for 12.

What is Saif Zaib's net worth?

No audited public document establishes a reliable total net-worth figure for Saif Zaib. Published contract lengths and registration bands do not reveal his complete income or personal wealth.

Conclusion

Saif Zaib's career is defined by delayed conversion rather than instant success. He entered Northamptonshire's first-team environment at 15, waited more than seven years for a maiden first-class hundred, then developed into a batter capable of leading county cricket with 1,425 Championship runs and six centuries in 2025.

His 196 not out, record partnerships and 136 in a record one-day chase show the batting range. The 2024 NPL Player of the Tournament award adds the other half of the story: 275 runs and 12 wickets in nine matches. That proven all-round value is why his 2026 return to Sudur Paschim Royals is the most relevant next chapter.