Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Jammu & Kashmir cruise through to maiden finale courtesy Auqib Nabi brilliance

Brief Scores

Jammu & Kashmir 302 (Samad 82, Shami 8-90) and 126 for 4 (Vanshaj 43, Samad 30*, Akash Deep 3-46) beat Bengal 328 (Gharami 146, Nabi 5-87) and 99 (Shahbaz 24, Sunil 4-27, Nabi 4-36) by six wickets

Jammu & Kashmir have struck gold in Auqib Nabi after the bowling all-rounder produced a match-winning outing in the semi-final against Bengal to book them their first-ever Ranji Trophy final appearance. The game at Kalyani started with the Abhimanyu Easwaran-led side batting first on a tricky surface. Sudip Kumar Gharami top-scored with his 146 to propel his side to 328. Nabi took a brilliant five-wicket haul, including the Bengal skipper and Gharami's wickets. 

J&K skipper Paras Dogra carried the burden of the batting unit after a top-order collapse inflicted by the experienced Mohammed Shami and in-form Mukesh Kumar. Dogra's 58 also helped him become only the second batter to cross the 10000-run mark in Ranji Trophy history. He joined Wasim Jaffer in the elite list. Abdul Samad, meanwhile, seemed to be in a league of his own in Kalyani, smashing a quickfire 82 against a formidable Bengal attack. Shami's eight wickets helped Bengal gain a narrow 26-run lead.

The match seemed to have slipped from J&K's hands, like it did during their previous season's quarter-final against Kerala. However, Nabi was once breathing fire, helping Dogra & Co. initiate a comeback worth watching. His bowling partner Sunil Kumar also joined for the breakthroughs, as both pacers took four wickets each. Yudhvir Singh Charak took a couple of wickets as well, bundling Easwaran's men for a paltry 99, leaving J&K with a 126-run target.

In the final session on the third day, the game seemed to be in anyone's hands. But Vanshaj Sharma, promoted up the order, stood tall. The final day of the mouthwatering contest began with 83 runs required, and Bengal having to pick eight more wickets. Vanshaj, however, did not let his confidence down one bit, and was shortly joined by Samad, who continued his merry way from the first innings. Three sixes and a four for Samad's 30* off 27 got the side past the line for the first time.

Nabi was undoubtedly the Player of the Match for his nine-wicket match haul, also contributing with 42 extremely crucial runs in the first innings. A tricky start, a narrow first-innings lead for Bengal, J&K enforcing a terrible collapse for Easwaran & Co., and lastly, a Day-4 finish – this game had it all, as J&K eventually won the semi-final by six wickets. They will be facing Karnataka in the finals from February 24 in a five-day fixture. It will either be the Karnataka men lifting their ninth Ranji title or J&K tasting glory for the first time. A crackerjack of a contest awaits.