Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi scripted a sensational five-wicket haul to give his team a big boost in their first Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka. The fiery spell he added to his standout Ranji season prompted former India captain Sourav Ganguly to urge the selectors to consider him for the England tour, calling it the ideal stage for his national debut.
After amassing 584 in the first innings, J&K bowled out Karnataka for 293 to take a 291-run lead with Nabi playing a key role with his five-wicket haul against an in-form batting unit. Ganguly reached the X after the final and tagged chief selector Ajit Agarkar and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, urging them to consider Nabi for India’s invite.
Karnataka vs Jammu and Kashmir, Ranji Trophy Final: Updates
“J&K have shown the world what effort and intent can do ..They have made the region so proud of them .. tuff environment makes tuff people. Aqib nabi on his way to national colors ..England is the place to start in the summer,” Ganguly wrote.
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Jammu and Kashmir’s remarkable run to the finals was fueled by Nabi’s consistency. With 60 wickets this season, he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker and became only the third pacer in Ranji Trophy history to cross the mark in a single campaign.
HOW NABI rattled KARNATAKA IN RANJI FINAL
The final was defined by Nabi’s spell of 5 for 54 in 23 overs which included seven maidens. His disciplined effort dismantled Karnataka’s strong batting line-up and ensured that J&K converted their first innings dominance into control of the match.
Nabi scalped the key wickets of KL Rahul, Karun Nair and Smaran Ravichandran in quick succession to reduce Karnataka to 57 for 4 and tip the balance in decisive fashion. He later cleaned up Shikhar Shetty to complete a five-wicket haul that helped Karnataka win for 293 in reply to Jammu and Kashmir’s first innings total of 584.
Having already secured an IPL contract for the 2026 season after Delhi Capitals wooed him for a whopping Rs 8.4 crore, the next move for the right-arm pacer is sure to be an India cap.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
27 Feb 2026 14:11 IST
