Just a year ago, Khawaja Nafay was an unfamiliar name in Pakistan cricket. His rise, however, has been closely linked to his performances in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), a tournament he openly credits for changing the course of his career.
Nafay featured for Chattogram Kings in the previous edition of the BPL, scoring 201 runs in five matches. That run of form proved decisive, opening doors in Pakistan’s domestic structure. Since then, the 23-year-old batter has played in the National T20 Cup, the Pakistan Super League and represented the Pakistan ‘A’ team. His progress was rewarded on Sunday with a maiden call-up to Pakistan’s national squad for the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
Reflecting on his journey, Nafay said, “I performed well in the last BPL, and because of that I started getting opportunities in cricket. After performing in the BPL, people in Pakistan came to know that there is a player named Nafay. After that, I started playing domestic cricket.”
In the ongoing BPL, Nafay is representing Rangpur Riders. He has previously played for the franchise in the Global Super League (GSL), something he believes will help him adapt quickly to the team environment.
Speaking about his expectations, he said, “I played in the GSL for Rangpur, so this team is not new for me. The BPL is new, but my goal is to perform the same way I did last year and try to do well for Rangpur Riders, Insha’Allah.”
Receiving his first national call-up has been a proud moment for Nafay. After years of hard work, he now has the opportunity to represent Pakistan at the highest level and is determined to make the most of it if given a chance in the playing XI.
