Jammu and Kashmir have made history. Fast bowler Auqib Nabi’s stellar show with the ball, coupled with centuries from Shubham Pundir in the first innings and Qamran Iqbal in the second has helped them pip a star-studded Karnataka to 2025/26 Ranji Trophy title. It marks the first time that they have won India’s premier first class domestic title and marks a remarkable turnaround for a team that was rarely ever taken seriously as opponents by most teams for much of their 67-year history in the Ranji Trophy.
Jammu and Kashmir played their first game in 1960. However, their first victory in the competition came only in their 99th match in 1982. Incidentally, it also happened to be the year that Karnataka won their third title. However, J&K’s fortunes have been on a steady rise in the past decade or so. They reached the quarterfinals in 2013-14, 2019-20 and 2024-25 seasons.
This 2025/26 final was their 346th match in Ranji history, and only their 47th match win. It brings to an end a remarkable season in which they lost just one match, which came in Srinagar against Mumbai.
Jammu and Kashmir declared their second innings on a score of 342/4, after having made 584 in their first innings. Opener Iqbal scored an unbeaten 160 in 311 balls while Sahil Lotra made 101 in 226 balls. Their partnership was on 197 when the two sides shook hands, with Jammu and Kashmir leading by a whopping 633 runs.
Earlier, Pundir’s 121 off 247 balls, along with half-centuries from Yawer Hassan (88), captain Paras Dogra (70), Abdul Samad (61), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) and Sahil Lotra (72) helpled J&K put up 584 runs batting first in Hubballi, Karnataka. Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal then scored 160 in 266 balls but it was Auqib Nabi’s 5/54 that made the difference. Among his victims were KL Rahul, Agarwal and Karun Nair.
