Sixty-seven years after their first appearance in India’s premier domestic competition, Jammu and Kashmir have marched into the Ranji Trophy final for the first time, defeating two-time champions Bengal cricket team by six wickets in the semi-final.
The victory caps a remarkable season for a side long labelled as underachievers. A nine-wicket match haul from Auqib Nabi and a composed, counter-attacking display from Abdul Samad proved decisive as Jammu and Kashmir moved to within one win of a historic title.
Chasing 126 at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground, the visitors were guided home by Samad’s unbeaten 30 from 27 balls and a mature 43 not out from 22-year-old Vanshaj Sharma. The pair shared an unbroken 55-run stand for the fourth wicket to seal the result on the penultimate day.
In a fitting finale, Samad stepped aside to allow the youngster to complete the chase. Sharma duly launched Mukesh Kumar over long-on for six, sparking jubilant scenes in the Jammu and Kashmir camp.
Before this season, Jammu and Kashmir had played 334 Ranji matches, winning only 45. Their first victory came 44 years after debut, against Services in 1982-83.
Knockout appearances were rare. A breakthrough came in 2013-14 with a quarter-final berth, and in 2015-16 they stunned Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium under the leadership of Parveez Rasool.
Sustained success, however, remained elusive.
This season, under coach Ajay Sharma and captain Paras Dogra, belief has translated into results. After an opening defeat by Mumbai, they responded with innings victories over Rajasthan and key wins against Delhi and Hyderabad to reach the knockouts.
A dramatic 56-run quarter-final triumph over Madhya Pradesh – powered by Nabi’s 12-wicket match haul – carried them into a first-ever semi-final, and now beyond.
