Jammu and Kashmir Win First Ranji Trophy Title, Defeat Karnataka in Historic Final

Jammu and Kashmir created history by winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title after defeating eight time champions Karnataka cricket team in the final at the KSCA Stadium on Saturday.

The final ended in a draw, but Jammu and Kashmir secured the championship on the basis of a 291 run first innings lead. The team extended the overall lead to 633 runs after finishing at 342 for 4 in the second innings.

Opener Qamran Iqbal remained unbeaten on 160, while Sahil Lotra scored his maiden century with an unbeaten 101.

Star Performances Seal Historic Title

Captain Paras Dogra crossed 10,000 runs in the Ranji Trophy during the season. Yawer Hassan, Abdul Samad, and Kanhaiya Wadhawan contributed half centuries at crucial stages.

Pace bowler Auqib Nabi claimed his seventh five wicket haul of the season and played a decisive role in both the semifinal and final.

Jammu and Kashmir completed a 10 match campaign marked by disciplined bowling, patient batting, and tactical execution.

From Debut To First Title

Jammu and Kashmir made their Ranji Trophy debut 67 years ago. The team had previously reached the quarterfinals in the 2013 to 14, 2019 to 20, and 2024 to 25 seasons.

In the final, Karnataka struggled to make an impact. On the last day, they failed to take a wicket after Jammu and Kashmir resumed at 186 for 4.

Semifinal Win Set The Tone

In the semifinal against Bengal cricket team at Kalyani, Jammu and Kashmir faced a first innings deficit. Auqib Nabi led the fightback by bowling Bengal out for 88 in the second innings.

Shubham Pundir scored a century as the team posted 584, setting up a place in the final.

Karnataka Outplayed Despite Experience

Karnataka entered the final as favourites. Mayank Agarwal scored 160, but the team failed to build sustained pressure.

Jammu and Kashmir maintained control through consistent bowling and disciplined batting to seal a landmark win.

The match concluded at 2.10 pm when both captains shook hands, confirming the result and triggering celebrations in the Jammu and Kashmir camp.