Jammu and Kashmir did wonders in Ranji Trophy. Thanks to the strong performance of Aaqib Nabi Dar, Jammu and Kashmir has entered the final of Ranji Trophy by defeating Bengal by 6 wickets in the semi-finals. Jammu and Kashmir team has reached the Ranji Trophy final for the first time. Player of the match Aaqib Nabi Dar took 5 wickets in the first innings and 4 wickets in the second innings. Putting up a calm and disciplined performance, the Jammu and Kashmir team successfully chased down the target to register a memorable win against a strong Bengal team. This historic achievement marks a defining moment in the growth and progress of cricket in Jammu and Kashmir.
Aaqib Nabi’s all-round performance (9 wickets in the match and 42 off 54 balls in the first innings) led Jammu and Kashmir to a six-wicket win against two-time champions Bengal and are likely to face Karnataka in the final, with Uttarakhand set to take the first innings lead in the second semi-final. Bengal were all out for 99 runs in the second innings, with Nabi and Sunil Kumar taking four wickets each, leaving J&K a modest target of 126 runs. While chasing the target, Vansh Sharma maintained his courage and led the team to victory by hitting a six off Mukesh Kumar. He remained unbeaten on 43 runs, and was supported by Abdul Samad (30 runs off 27 runs).
The historic qualification for the Ranji Trophy final is a testament to the team’s hard work, courage and consistent good performance throughout the season. Nabi has been the center of J&K’s excellent performance this season. He also played a key role in the quarter-final win over Madhya Pradesh, taking 12 for 110, including 7 for 40 in the first innings and 5 for 70 in the second innings, as J&K won by 56 runs.
This success has been widely celebrated by the cricket fraternity and fans of the entire region, which shows the rising standard of domestic cricket in Jammu and Kashmir. The team will now prepare to play in the Ranji Trophy final for the first time with full confidence and strong intentions.