New Delhi: Jammu & Kashmir scripted history in Indian domestic cricket Wednesday, defeating Bengal by six wickets to reach their first Ranji Trophy final and becoming the first side from the Himalayan region to qualify for the summit clash of the tournament.
Auqib Nabi was the architect of the triumph, claiming nine wickets across the two innings and contributing a vital 42 runs to earn the man-of-the-match award.
The result, built on a ruthless second-innings bowling performance that skittled Bengal for just 99, vindicated a decade of steady growth from a side long regarded as perennial underdogs. That J&K won against two-time Ranji Trophy champions at Bengal’s home turf made the victory all the more spectacular.
“It’s a historic moment for us. This win is not just of JKCA [Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association] but of everyone who lives here,” Majid Dar, in charge of the J&K Association, told ThePrint.
Dar, who played for J&K until 2014 before becoming assistant coach of the senior squad in 2015-16, said the team had always believed this day would come. “Boys are confident, morale is high. But we aren’t letting it get to our head. We celebrated for 15-20 minutes and now the focus is on the finals. As always, the boys will bring our best game forward,” he said.
Skipper Paras Dogra, who struck 58 in the first innings, had made the ambition plain in an interview last year. The 41-year-old told ThePrint that J&K were “eyeing the Ranji trophy” and would settle for nothing less.
A match of two halves
After electing to bowl, J&K conceded 328 in Bengal’s first innings–anchored by 146 from Sudip Kumar Gharami. Their own reply got off to a difficult start as veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami produced a career-best spell of 8/90 to tear through the batting order.
But Abdul Samad (82) and Dogra (58) dug in, and Nabi’s fiery 42 at the tail trimmed J&K’s deficit to just 26 runs — critical passage that shifted the match’s momentum.
The second innings belonged entirely to J&K’s seamers. Nabi (4/36) and Sunil Kumar (4/27) combined to bundle Bengal out for 99, leaving the Dogra-led side needing just 126 to reach the final.
Akash Deep struck twice early to reduce J&K to 12/2, but the middle order held firm. Vanshaj Sharma anchored the chase with an unbeaten 43 off 84 balls, before Samad sealed the win with an unbeaten 30 off 27 balls.
Dar credited BCCI chief Mithun Manhas for overhauling the foundations of J&K cricket. Manhas was earlier the director of cricket operations with JKCA.
“He is the main man. He has put a strong system in place, that is why everyone is able to do their job well,” he said.
J&K will play the final on 24 February against the winners of the second semi-final between Karnataka and Uttarakhand.
(Edited by Prerna Madan)
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