KALYANI — Jammu and Kashmir have stormed into their first-ever Ranji Trophy final with a six-wicket win over Bengal on day four of their semi-final at the Bengal Cricket Academy ground on Wednesday.
Seam-bowling all-rounder Auqib Nabi once again rose to the occasion, bagging four wickets alongside Sunil Kumar as Bengal folded for 99 in their second innings on day three and tilted the contest in J&K’s favour. Set a target of 126 to win, J&K chased it down in 34.4 overs, with Vanshaj Sharma and Abdul Samad hitting an unbeaten 43 and 30 respectively.
In the morning, Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep struck early to dismiss Shubham Pundir (27) and captain Paras Dogra (nine). But Samad’s counterattack, including two towering sixes off Shahbaz Ahmed over long-on and extra cover respectively, swung the momentum back in J&K’s favour.
Sharma, after hitting Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal for three boundaries, sealed the win with a six over Mukesh Kumar’s head to trigger jubilant celebrations as the players lifted their coach in a huddle.
Nabi was rightfully judged as the player of the match for his match haul of nine wickets, bringing in a red-letter day for the J&K side, who have been impressive with the red ball for the last few years.
J&K are now set to face Karnataka in the title clash to be played from February 24 to 28, with the latter poised to take a first-innings lead against Uttarakhand in the other semifinal happening in Lucknow. For now, February 18 will forever be etched in golden letters in the cricketing journey of Jammu and Kashmir.
Brief Scores: Bengal 328 and 99 lost to Jammu & Kashmir 302 and 126/4 in 34.4 overs (Vanshaj Sharma 43 not out, Abdul Samad 30 not out; Akash Deep 3-46, Mohammed Shami 1-24) by six wickets.
CM Omar Abdullah congratulates cricket team
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday congratulated the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team for its remarkable achievement in the Ranji Trophy, praising the players, coaches and support staff for their collective effort and dedication.
The CM extended congratulations on behalf of the people of J&K and expressed confidence that the region’s cricketers will soon make a mark at the international level.
“On my behalf, and on behalf of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, I extend heartfelt congratulations to all of them. I hope the day is not far when we will see players from Jammu and Kashmir playing a very important role in the national team,” the Chief Minister told reporters.
He said the team’s progress over the past couple of years reflects sustained hard work, discipline and strong guidance from the coaching and support staff.
“Our team has made remarkable progress. This achievement is the result of the hard work of the players, the guidance of the coaches, and the dedication of the support staff.
“Winning the Ranji Trophy is not something an individual can accomplish alone; it is the success of the entire team and the supporting staff,” Abdullah said.
The Chief Minister said the achievement has inspired young sportspersons across the Union Territory and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening sports infrastructure and nurturing emerging talent. — With input from agencies
