Sixty-seven years after their first appearance, Jammu and Kashmir stormed into the Ranji Trophy final for the first time on Wednesday, beating two-time former champions Bengal by six wickets in the semi-final here to add another historic chapter to a fairytale season so far.
Auqib Nabi’s stunning nine-wicket haul and the fearless move play of their IPL star Abdul Samad has ensured that the side once described as “perpetual underachievers” now stand one step away from the title.
Chasing out a modest 126 at the Bengal Cricket Academy, J&K rode on Samad’s unbeaten 30 off 27 balls (3×6, 1×4) and rookie Vanshaj Sharma’s 43 not out from 83 balls (4×4) as the pair stitched an unbroken fourth and fourth 55-run stand in the history of the stand. semifinal.
In a pleasing gesture, Samad, who did most of the damage, allowed 22-year-old Vanshaj to finish it off in style and the youngster dropped Mukesh Kumar over long-on for six to spark wild celebrations in the visiting camp.
MAKERS OF HISTORY
Jammu and Kashmir had played 334 Ranji matches before this season, winning only 45. It took them 44 years to register their first win, against Services in 1982-83.
Knockout appearances were rare. The breakthrough came in 2013-14 when they beat Goa at clean pace to reach the quarter-finals and in 2015-16 they stunned Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium under state icon Parveez Rasool.
But consistency has eluded them for decades as they have rekindled belief in results this season under coach Ajay Sharma and captain Paras Dogra.
After an opening loss to Mumbai, they bounced back with innings wins over Rajasthan and crucial wins against Delhi and Hyderabad to enter the knockout stages.
A dramatic 56-run win over Madhya Pradesh in the quarter-finals, fueled by Nabi’s 12/110, took them into the semi-finals for the first time.
THE BIG GUNS OF BENGAL FAIL
With four Indian internationals in Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar and Shahbaz Ahmed and India’s star batsman Abhimanyu Easwaran, plus home advantage, this was a game for Bengal to lose.
They did just that after being bowled out for 99 in 25.1 overs on day three to set Jammu and Kashmir on a paltry 126 for victory.
Returning to 43/2 on the penultimate day, J&K lost an early wicket but Bengal could not sustain the pressure despite Akash Deep’s tireless 15-over morning spell (3/46) and Shami’s probing 1/24 from 24 overs.
There were anxious moments when Shubham Pundir was cleaned up and Dogra behind him – a low catch by Akash Deep’s Abishek Porel finally upheld on review.
But Bengal looked tired and out of ideas once Samad struck. The IPL batter retained by Lucknow Super Giants turned the tide in a single over against Akash Deep who fetched 18 runs.
He didn’t spare Shahbaz either as J&K crossed the 100-run mark, dancing down the track to slot him over mid-wicket and then over covers.
From there, shoulders in the Bengali camp slumped.
The introduction of part-time options and a visible drop in intensity punctuated a campaign that promised much but fell apart when it mattered most.
NABIHO A SEASON FOR THE AGES
However, the foundations of Jammu and Kashmir’s victory were laid by Nabi.
“Last time we missed it in the quarter-finals but we did all the hard work and deserved it,” Nabi said after winning man of the match.
The 29-year-old pacer followed up his 12-wicket haul in the quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh with another devastating effort as he finished with nine wickets in the match, including five in the first innings, to take his season’s tally to 55 wickets at an average under 13.
Nabi also contributed with the bat playing a crucial knock at No.9.
J&K posted 302 in their first innings, reducing the deficit to 26, thanks to Dogra’s gritty 58 (112 balls), Samad’s counter-attacking 82 (85 balls) and a crucial late surge from Nabi (42 off 54) and Yudhvir Singh (33) in a final haul of 64.
DOGRE’S MILESTONE
It was a week of personal and collective milestones for the 41-year-old Paras Dogra captain.
In a career spanning 24 years across Himachal Pradesh, Pondicherry and now J&K, Dogra also became only the second batsman after Wasim Jaffer to reach 10,000 in the Ranji Trophy.
The path of Dogra, introduced to the game by his father Kultar, was one of endurance and quiet steel.
“It’s a big achievement. I never thought about it. I’ve enjoyed the journey full of ups and downs. The game makes you a strong human being,” said Dogra.
His emphatic half-century in a 143-run partnership with Samad in the first innings set the tone for the side’s resilience.
– The end
Issued by:
Akshay Ramesh
Published on:
February 18, 2026
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