Jammu and Kashmir created history by winning their first-ever Ranji Trophy title, defeating eight-time champions Karnataka in the 2025–26 final at Hubballi. The match ended in a draw, but J&K were declared champions on the basis of a commanding 291-run first-innings lead.
Playing their maiden Ranji Trophy final, the Paras Dogra-led side delivered a dominant performance across departments to secure a landmark victory in Indian domestic cricket.
The foundation of the triumph was laid with a massive first-innings total of 584 runs. Shubham Pundir led the charge with a composed 121, while Yawer Hassan (88), captain Paras Dogra (70), Abdul Samad (61), Kanhaiya Wadhawan (70) and Sahil Lotra (72) made significant contributions.
For Karnataka, pacer Prasidh Krishna stood out with figures of 5 for 98 in 34.1 overs, emerging as the pick of the bowlers.
In reply, Karnataka struggled despite fielding a star-studded batting lineup that included KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair. Mayank Agarwal top-scored with a resilient 160, but lacked substantial support from the other end as Karnataka were bowled out for 293, conceding a decisive 291-run lead.
Auqib Nabi was the standout performer with the ball for Jammu and Kashmir, claiming 5 for 54 in 23 overs to dismantle Karnataka’s middle order.
Batting again, J&K strengthened their grip on the contest with an unbeaten 160 from Qamran Iqbal and 101 not out from Sahil Lotra. Captain Paras Dogra declared the innings at 342 for 4 on Day 5, extending the lead to 633 runs and effectively sealing the outcome.
Shubham Pundir was named Player of the Match for his first-innings century, while Auqib Nabi earned the Player of the Series award after finishing the season with 55 wickets in eight matches.
Jammu and Kashmir, who began the season as underdogs, had earlier defeated former champions including Delhi, Rajasthan and Bengal en route to the final.
The victory marks a historic milestone for the team, ending a 67-year wait for the Ranji Trophy crown.
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