RANJI TROPHY FINAL: J&K scripts history; outclasses star-studded Karnataka to clinch title

STC NEWS MONITORING DESK
SRINAGAR, FEBRUARY 28 (STC): Jammu and Kashmir has for the first time won India’s premier first class domestic title -‘Ranji Trophy’ – when the team outclassed star-studded Karnataka in the final today, which ended in a draw.

Karnataka were the more favoured side to win the trophy ahead of the final despite Jammu and Kashmir not being counted as underdogs any more. They had shown remarkable consistency since the beginning of the season, apart from having a remarkable roster of players who regularly play Test cricket. However, Karnataka hardly ever looked in with a chance of winning at any point of the final. So hopeless was their cause on Day 5 that one got see rare sights of the likes of Rahul, Karun and Agarwal bowling.
This 2025/26 final was their 346th match in Ranji history, and only their 47th match win. It brings to an end a remarkable season in which they lost just one match, which came in Srinagar against Mumbai.
Notably, fast bowler Auqib Nabi’s stellar show with the ball, coupled with centuries from Shubham Pundir in the first innings and Qamran Iqbal in the second has helped them to clinch the 2025/26 Ranji Trophy title.
Jammu and Kashmir declared their second innings on a score of 342/4, after having made 584 in their first innings. Opener Iqbal scored an unbeaten 160 in 311 balls while Sahil Lotra made 101 in 226 balls. Their partnership was on 197 when the two sides shook hands, with Jammu and Kashmir leading by a whopping 633 runs.
Earlier, Pundir’s 121 off 247 balls, along with half-centuries from Yawer Hassan (88), captain Paras Dogra (70), Abdul Samad (61), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) and Sahil Lotra (72) helpled J&K put up 584 runs batting first in Hubballi, Karnataka. Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal then scored 160 in 266 balls but it was Auqib Nabi’s 5/54 that made the difference. Among his victims were KL Rahul, Agarwal and Karun Nair.
Jammu and Kashmir played their first game in 1960. However, their first victory in the competition came only in their 99th match in 1982. Incidentally, it also happened to be the year that Karnataka won their third title. However, J&K’s fortunes have been on a steady rise in the past decade or so. They reached the quarterfinals in 2013-14, 2019-20 and 2024-25 seasons.
(Straight Talk Communications)