Published: Feb 18, 2026, 04:36 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 18, 2026, 04:36 PM (IST)
Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) created history in Indian domestic cricket on February 18, 2026, storming into their first-ever Ranji Trophy final after defeating two-time champions Bengal by six wickets in the semifinal at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani. Chasing a modest 126, J&K reached the target in 34.4 overs for the loss of four wickets, marking a fairy-tale transformation for a team long considered underdogs.
The foundation of J&K’s triumph was laid by pace spearhead Aqib Nabi, who delivered a phenomenal nine-wicket haul across both innings 5/87 in the first and 4/36 in the second. His relentless bowling restricted Bengal to just 99 in their second innings, erasing any advantage from their first-innings total of 328. Nabi, named Player of the Match, dismantled Bengal’s batting lineup despite the hosts boasting stars like Mohammed Shami 8/90 in the first innings, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, and Shahbaz Ahmed.
Bengal, playing at home with a strong international contingent including India A batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, collapsed under pressure and failed to capitalize on their slight first-innings lead.
Resuming the chase at 43/2 on day four, J&K lost early wickets including Shubham Pundir 27 and captain Paras Dogra 9. However, 22-year-old Vanshaj Sharma 43* off 83 balls and IPL star Abdul Samad 30* off 27 balls, with one four and three sixes steadied the ship with an unbroken 55-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
In a poignant gesture of team spirit, Samad gave the young Vanshaj the honor of hitting the winning runs. Vanshaj launched Mukesh Kumar over long-on for a six, sparking wild celebrations in the J&K camp.
J&K first participated in the Ranji Trophy in the 1959-60 season and played 334 matches before this breakthrough, winning only 45. Their first victory came after 44 years in 1982-83 against Services. Breakthrough moments included reaching the quarterfinals in 2013-14 via net run rate and a famous win over Mumbai in 2015-16 under Parvez Rasool.
This season, under coach Ajay Sharma and captain Paras Dogra, J&K showed consistency: overcoming an early loss to Mumbai, securing outright wins against Rajasthan, Delhi, and Hyderabad, and beating Madhya Pradesh by 56 runs in the quarterfinal where Nabi took 12 wickets. Lacking big stars, their collective effort and belief turned them into contenders.
BCCI President Mithun Manhas hailed the moment: “Today a dream has come true.” Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the cricket fraternity congratulated the team for their grit and deserving success. As Nabi reflected post-match: “We lost in the quarterfinal last time, but we worked hard and we deserved it.”
