Jammu and Kashmir has created history by winning the title for the first time in the history of Ranji Trophy. The team ended a long wait of 66 years by defeating strong Karnataka in the final. The heroes of this victory were Aaqib Nabi, Shubham Pundir and Kamran Iqbal.
Hubli: Jammu and Kashmir has done what no one had expected in the history of Ranji Trophy. Thanks to the lethal bowling of fast bowler Aaqib Nabi, brilliant centuries by Shubham Pundir in the first innings and Kamran Iqbal in the second innings, the team won its first Ranji Trophy title by defeating the strong Karnataka.
66 years long wait is over
In the last 66 years of Ranji history, Jammu and Kashmir was never considered a strong contender. But this time the team changed all the equations and won India’s most prestigious first-class cricket title. Jammu and Kashmir played its first Ranji match in 1960. The team had to wait 22 years for its first win. The team won for the first time in its 99th match in 1982. Interestingly, Karnataka won its third Ranji title in the same year. This historic final of 2025-26 was the 346th match in the history of Jammu and Kashmir and this is their overall 47th win. This season the team has lost only one match, which was against Mumbai in Srinagar.
Great game of Jammu and Kashmir
After scoring 584 runs in the first innings, Jammu and Kashmir declared their second innings at the score of 342/4. Opener Kamran Iqbal remained unbeaten on 160 runs on 311 balls, while Sahil Lottra scored 101 runs on 226 balls. By the time both the teams shook hands (the match was drawn), their partnership had reached 197 runs and Jammu and Kashmir’s total lead was 633 runs.
Earlier, in the first innings, Pundir had scored 121 runs on 247 balls. Apart from them, Yawar Hasan (88), captain Paras Dogra (70), Abdul Samad (61), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) and Sahil Lotra (72) also scored half-centuries to take the team to a huge score of 584.
A lead of 291 runs decided victory
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) had strengthened its hold on the match by taking a huge lead of 291 runs in the first innings. The only way for Karnataka to bounce back was to bowl out J&K cheaply in the second innings and then chase the target.
At one time in the second innings, J&K’s score was 2 wickets for 11 runs, due to which Karnataka’s hopes were raised. But Kamran Iqbal batted like a troubleshooter. He not only faced the new ball but also made two important half-century partnerships with Paras Dogra and Abdul Samad. After this, Iqbal and Sahil Lotra closed all the doors of comeback for Karnataka with very composed batting. Both of them scored brilliant centuries and ensured the team’s victory.