Jammu and Kashmir vs Bengal | Ranji Trophy, 2025/26 | 2nd Semi-Final

Goodbye from Semi-Final 2! Switching tabs to the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow and Karnataka has essentially slammed the door shut against Uttarakhand. Karnataka have batted Uttarakhand out of the game but they are showing some fight. You can switch the tabs and join us there. Cheers from here.

The 41-year-old legend! Paras Dogra, the skipper of Jammu and Kashmir says that the target was a small one and they needed a gritty stand at the top. Adds that they lost three wickets but Abdul Samad is a good batter and he got good runs.  Adds that the lead was very slender in the first innings and they were not that panicked. Ends by saying that he loves this game and this journey has been great and they are happy to play in the finals.

Auqib Nabi's heroics!  Auqib Nabi wins the Player of the Match award. A five-wicket haul in the first innings, followed by a crucial 42 runs with the bat. However, the figures of 10-2-36-4 in the second innings, which ultimately pushed Bengal on the back foot earns him the award. He says that he is happy to play in the finals and that their hard work has paid off. Adds that they were positive coming into the game and they did well throughout the game. Says that he keeps it simple and doesn't think much about getting the results. Ends by saying that he is working on his batting as well and they will give their best and try to win the finals as well.

The skipper of Bengal - Abhimanyu Easwaran says that they did well in the first innings but they didn't bat well in the second innings. Adds that there are a lot of positives, as Sudip Gharami batted well and Mohammad Shami bowled brilliantly but they fell short in the second innings.  Adds that they will focus on the positives and work for the next season. He ends by saying that he is proud of his boys.

...Presentation...

J&K made history! Chasing 126 for a historic spot in their first-ever Ranji Trophy final, J&K had a nervy start, losing two quick wickets to the Bengal pacers at the end of Day 3, but with the game firmly in control, Jammu and Kashmir needed one good stand to cross the line. Vanshaj Sharma, along with Abdul Samad, added 55 runs, and it turned out to be the match-winning partnership. Credit to the Bengal bowlers, who got just about a session's rest between their innings and had to defend such a low total. Mohammad Shami and Akash Deep started with 23 dots on the trot, but J&K had the edge in the final innings.

Bengal’s collapse! With a slender 26-run lead, Bengal stepped out to bat in their second innings, but what followed was an absolute disaster. The J&K pace attack, led once again by the fiery Auqib Nabi, made the new ball talk and completely rattled the top order.  Wickets fell like ninepins as the batters failed to apply themselves against the swinging delivery. Shahbaz Ahmed managed a gritty 24, but a string of poor shots meant Bengal was bundled out for a paltry 99, setting a very modest target for the visitors.

Shami’s sensational spell! In reply, J&K found themselves in early trouble before Abdul Samad and skipper Paras Dogra launched a brilliant counter-attack with a 147-run stand. Samad smashed a quickfire 82, and some late fireworks from the tail pushed them to 302, just 26 runs short of Bengal's total.  But the real story of the innings was Mohammed Shami! The veteran pacer breathed absolute fire with the red cherry, running through the J&K batting lineup to finish with his career-best First-Class figures of 8 for 90.

Bengal started strong - Bengal was put in to bat and posted a solid 328 in their first innings, riding on the back of a majestic 146 from Sudip Gharami. After losing an early wicket, Gharami anchored the innings beautifully, sharing crucial partnerships with Abhimanyu Easwaran and Shahbaz Ahmed. Sumanta Gupta also chipped in with some quick runs down the order. For Jammu and Kashmir, Auqib Nabi was the pick of the bowlers, hitting the deck hard to claim a brilliant five-wicket haul and keep the Bengal batters in check.

The Himalayan ascent! The weight of six decades evaporates into the Bengal sky. Look at what it means! Former India international Ajay Sharma, the head coach of Jammu & Kashmir, is being carried on the shoulders of the J&K players.  Sixty-seven years of waiting. Decades of being the underdog. Today, Jammu & Kashmir didn't just win a cricket match, they scaled their ultimate summit. For the first time in their history, J&K have marched into the Ranji Trophy Final.