Jammu and Kashmir recorded a memorable win against Bengal in the 2025/26 Ranji Trophy semi-finals after the upcoming pace sensation Auqib Nabi starred with a nine-for.
Jammu and Kashmir have reached the finals of India’s premier first-class tournament for the first time ever, after recording a convincing six-wicket win against Bengal in the semi-finals. Batting first at Kalyani, Bengal posted 328 in the first innings, led by Sudip Kumar Gharami’s 146. Gharami, who was dismissed for 299 earlier in the season, played out 246 deliveries for his knock before falling in the 86th over of the innings.
In reply, J&K made 302 in the second innings, courtesy of half-centuries from skipper Paras Dogra (58) and Abdul Samad (82).
2nd Semi-Final, Jammu and Kashmir vs Bengal
vs
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Auqib Nabi becomes first J&K bowler to pick up 50 Ranji wickets in a season
Nabi, who broke into the limelight with four wickets in four balls during the Duleep Trophy last year, was the star for J&K against Bengal, finishing with five wickets in the first innings, eventually ending within nine in the clash.
His 4-36 in the second innings, along with Sunil Kumar’s 4-27, was pivotal, as Bengal were shot out for 99 in the second innings, giving Jammu and Kashmir a target of 126 runs. They chased it down with ease to enter their maiden Ranji Trophy final.
Nabi’s nine-for came after he picked up 12 wickets in the quarters, against Madhya Pradesh. The opposition was bowled out for 152 and 234 as he picked up 7-40 and 5-70 in the two innings.
With his semi-final performance, Nabi extended his run to 55 wickets this season, becoming the first bowler from the state to pick up 50 scalps in a Ranji Trophy season. Overall, he is the 16th bowler with 55 or more wickets in a season.
Nabi averages 12.72 after 16 innings in the ongoing competition, and an impressive 13.54 in the last two first-class seasons. Since October 2024, Nabi has played 19 red-ball games, picking up an astonishing 106 wickets, with 13 five-fors.
The Ranji Trophy final will be played from February 24.
Most Ranji Trophy wickets in a single season
| Matches | Player Name | State | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 69 | HS Dubey | Vidarbha | 2024/25 |
| 68 | A Aman | Bihar | 2018/19 |
| 67 | JD Unadkat | Saurashtra | 2019/20 |
| 64 | BS Bedi | Delhi | 1974/75 |
| 62 | D Ganesh | Karnataka | 1998/99 |
| 62 | Kanwaljit Singh | Hyderabad | 1999/00 |
| 59 | DA Jadeja | Saurashtra | 2018/19 |
| 58 | S Venkataraghavan | Tamil Nadu | 1972/73 |
| 58 | Maninder Singh | Delhi | 1991/92 |
| 57 | RR Bose | Bengal | 2006/07 |
| 56 | S Nadeem | Jharkhand | 2016/17 |
| 56 | T Thyagarajan | Hyderabad | 2023/24 |
| 55 | BS Chandrasekhar | Karnataka | 1973/74 |
| 55 | RK Chauhan | Madhya Pradesh | 1996/97 |
| 55 | AA Sarwate | Vidarbha | 2018/19 |
| 55 | R Sanjay Yadav | Meghalaya | 2019/20 |
| 55* | Auqib Nabi | Jammu and Kashmir | 2025/26 |
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