Jammu and Kashmir end 67-year wait, outplay Karnataka to win maiden Ranji Trophy title
Jammu and Kashmir made history by winning their first Ranji Trophy cup, with the championship decision based on their first innings lead in a drawn match against Karnataka.
Jammu and Kashmir have made their name in the history books by winning their first ever Ranji Trophy title on Saturday. While the Jammu and Kashmir vs Karnataka match in Hubballi ended in a draw, the decision to crown J&K champions was taken on the basis of their first innings lead.
J&K end 67-year drought, win first Ranji Trophy title:
Having won the toss at KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, J&K decided to bat first and put in a total of 584 runs in their first innings with an 88-run knock from opening batter Yawer Hassan Khan, 121 from Shubham Pandir and notable knocks from captain Paras Dogra (70), Abdul Samad (61), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) and Sahil Lotra (72).
In reply, Karnataka were bowled out for 291 despite a 160-run knock by opening batter Mayank Agarwal. J&K managed to take a massive 293-run lead in the first innings and then went on to consolidate their grip on the match as they posted 342 for the loss of 4 wickets, taking their lead to 635 runs.
J&K opening batter Qamran Iqbal took the lead for the side in the second innings as he posted an unbeaten 160-run knock to keep the visitors in the forefront. Meanwhile, Sahil Lotra continued his good form from the first innings as he played a handy 101-run knock while remaining unbeaten alongside Iqbal and taking the team to a winning spot.
J&K CM Omar Abdullah also attended the final clash in Hubli to cheer the team to their first ever Ranji Trophy title.
After the match, Abdullah shared a video of the J&K team celebrating their hard-won feat. He wrote, “They’ve done it. Well done J&K”.
Auqib Nabi takes the spotlight:
J&K pacer Auqib Nabi took the spotlight during the Ranji Trophy final as he picked up 5 wickets during the penultimate game of the tournament that drew applause from many former cricketers. A clip of Nabi's bowling that went viral on social media saw the pacer dismissing Karun Nair and Smaran Ravichandran in successive deliveries to bring his side back into the contest.
Many former cricketers like Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Aakash Chopra and Dinesh Karthik have urged the Indian selectors to make use of Nabi's form and include him in the national Test side. India will next play a one-off Test match against Afghanistan, followed by a 2-Test series against Sri Lanka in August and New Zealand in October
About the Author
Aman Gupta is a Digital Content Producer at LiveMint with over 3.5 years of experience covering the technology landscape. He specializes in artificial intelligence and consumer technology, reporting on everything from the ethical debates around AI models to shifts in the smartphone market. <br> His reporting is grounded in first-hand testing, independent analysis, and a focus on how technology impacts everyday users. He holds a PG Diploma in Radio and Television Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi (Class of 2022). <br> Outside the newsroom, he spends his time reading biographies, hunting for the perfect coffee beans, or planning his next trip. <br><br> You can find Aman on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/aman-gupta-894180214">LinkedIn</a> and on X at <a href="https://x.com/nobugsfound">@nobugsfound</a>, or reach him via email at <a href="aman.gupta@htdigital.in">aman.gupta@htdigital.in</a>.
Stay updated with all the latest news and insights on Cricket, Football, and Tennis at Livemint Sports. Catch the live action of theT20 World Cup 2026 with the complete T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule, and the T20 World Cup 2026 Points Table. Also, know who are currently leading the charts for Most Runs in T20 World Cup 2026 and Most Wickets in T20 World Cup 2026.