Auqib Nabi’s 9-wicket spell destroys Bengal as Jammu & Kashmir enter 1st Ranji Trophy final

In a landmark moment for Indian domestic cricket, Jammu & Kashmir booked their first-ever Ranji Trophy final spot, stunning Bengal by six wickets in the semifinal at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani on Wednesday. Sixty-seven years after their maiden appearance in the tournament, the Himalayan side’s fairytale campaign reached an unprecedented peak. 

J&K were set a modest target of 126 runs after Bengal were skittled for just 99 in their second innings following a first-innings total of 328. The chase proved routine once Abdul Samad and Vanshaj Sharma combined for an unchased 55-run partnership, with Samad finishing 30 not out off 27 balls and Sharma unbeaten on 43 to steer J&K home in 34.4 overs. 

The foundations of this historic victory were laid by pace spearhead Auqib Nabi, whose devastating bowling yielded nine wickets in the match and earned him Player of the Match honours. His performance dismantled Bengal’s batting and was a continuation of a standout season in which he has been among the tournament’s top wicket-takers. 

Bengal, featuring several high-profile players including Mohammed Shami, could not defend their totals, with their second-innings collapse proving decisive. Despite Shami’s career-best figures of 8/90 in the first innings, the home side couldn’t maintain momentum. 

The journey to this milestone has been a story of transformation for J&K cricket. The team had played hundreds of Ranji matches over decades with limited success but, under the leadership of captain Paras Dogra and coach Ajay Sharma, have turned belief into consistent results this season, including a dramatic quarterfinal win that set up this historic semifinal. 

The victory sparked celebrations in the J&K camp and won praise from fans and officials alike including commendation from the region’s chief minister, who hailed the achievement as a proud moment for the state. With this win, Jammu & Kashmir have now advanced to the Ranji Trophy final for the first time, poised to compete for their maiden title in Indian domestic cricket.