Jammu and Kashmir Clinch Maiden Ranji Trophy Title
Jammu and Kashmir won their first-ever Ranji Trophy on Saturday after drawing with eight-time champions Karnataka in the final, securing victory through a first-innings lead. Captain Paras Dogra led the team, praising his squad’s determination and calling the win the biggest moment of his life. The state had waited 67 years for this historic achievement in Indian domestic cricket.
Opening batter Shubham Pundir scored 121 runs while Dogra added 70, helping Jammu and Kashmir post a massive first-innings total of 584. Right-arm pacer Aaquib Nabi Dar was named player of the series after taking 5-54 to bowl out Karnataka for 293, giving the team a 291-run lead. Despite a fighting 160-run innings from Karnataka opener Mayank Agarwal, Jammu and Kashmir maintained their dominance throughout the match.
On the final day, Qamran Iqbal (160 not out) and Sahil Dogra (101 not out) hit centuries before the team declared at 342-4, after which the captains agreed to a draw. Mithun Manhas, President of the Indian Cricket Board, along with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, dedicated the victory to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, noting the team’s growth in self-belief as key to their historic triumph.
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