The cricket team of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is on the verge of scripting history in the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 semifinal against Bengal, needing just 83 runs with eight wickets in hand to enter their maiden final of the prestigious tournament.
Chasing a modest target of 126, J&K were comfortably placed at 43/2 at stumps, with two full days of play remaining. If they complete the chase, it will mark the first time Jammu and Kashmir reach the summit clash of the country’s premier domestic competition.
The turning point of the match came through a disciplined and clinical bowling display led by pace spearhead Auqib Nabi.
The day began with J&K resuming their first innings at 198/5. However, Abid Mushtaq soon departed for 27 after Mohammed Shami dismissed him.
Shami then had Kanhaiya Wadhawan caught behind for 29 to claim his fifth wicket, before Vanshaj Sharma also fell cheaply. At 231/8, J&K were still 97 runs short of Bengal’s first-innings total, when Nabi (42) and Yudhvir Singh (33) stitched together a crucial 64-run stand for the ninth wicket.
Shami returned to remove the final two wickets, finishing with career-best figures of 8/90, as J&K were bowled out for 302 before lunch.
Nabi struck early in Bengal’s second innings, trapping Sudip Chatterjee and Abhimanyu Easwaran leg-before-wicket on either side of Sunil Kumar, dismissing first-innings centurion Sudip Kumar Gharami.
Yudhvir Singh then made it four LBWs in the innings by sending veteran Anustup Majumdar back to the pavilion, leaving Bengal reeling at 19/4.
Despite a brief counterattack from Shahbaz Ahmed (24), Bengal continued to lose wickets as the J&K seamers ran through the batting line-up, bundling them out for just 99 shortly after tea and putting themselves firmly on top.
Akash Deep struck early in J&K’s chase, cleaning up Shubham Khajuria and then dismissing Yawer Hassan. However, an unbeaten 31-run stand between Shubham Pundir (23*) and Vanshaj Sharma (9*) ensured no further damage, as J&K ended the day in a commanding position heading into Day 4.
Overall, J&K’s bowlers dismantled Bengal for 99 in the second innings. Nabi claimed four crucial wickets, while left-arm pacer Sunil Kumar also picked up four scalps.
Yudhvir Singh chipped in with two wickets to complete the rout. Nabi once again underlined his growing stature in domestic cricket with a decisive spell at a critical stage of the match.
For Bengal, the collapse was dramatic. Six batters failed to reach double figures, and only three managed double-digit scores, with Shahbaz Ahmed top-scoring with 24.
Earlier in the match, Bengal had secured a 26-run first-innings lead. Batting first, they posted 328, powered by a superb 146 from Sudip Kumar Gharami, while captain Abhimanyu Easwaran contributed 49 off 96 deliveries.
For J&K, Nabi was the standout bowler in the first innings as well, claiming five wickets, while Sunil Kumar took three. J&K were bowled out for 302 in response, with Mohammed Shami producing a devastating spell of 8/90 and Mukesh Kumar picking up two wickets.
Now, with Bengal dismissed cheaply and a small target ahead, J&K are firmly in control. Having already created history by reaching the semifinals this season, they are now just one step away from a maiden Ranji Trophy final.
Bengal, meanwhile, are two-time champion, having last lifted the trophy in 1989. However, their experience has not been enough to counter J&K’s relentless pace of attack in this contest.
In the other semifinal, Karnataka appear to have gained a decisive advantage after amassing 736 in their first innings, putting themselves in a strong position to progress, likely on the basis of a first-innings lead.
For Jammu and Kashmir, the equation is simple: 83 runs stand between them and a historic place in the final.
Brief Scores:
Bengal 328 & 99 (Shahbaz Ahmed 24; Sunil Kumar 4/27, Auqib Nabi Dar 4/36)
Jammu and Kashmir 302 & 43/2 (Shubham Pundir 23*, Akash Deep 2/12)
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