Jammu & Kashmir Create History, Clinch Maiden Ranji Trophy Title
67-Year Wait Ends as J&K Defeat Karnataka in Dominant Final Performance
In a historic achievement in Indian domestic cricket, Jammu and Kashmir cricket team lifted their maiden Ranji Trophy title by defeating a star-studded Karnataka cricket team in the 2026 final. The victory ended a 67-year-long wait and marked a landmark moment for cricket in the region.
Batting first, Jammu & Kashmir posted a massive total of 584 runs in their first innings. Shubham Pundir led the charge with a magnificent 121-run century, while Hasan contributed a solid 88. Captain Paras Dogra and Kanhaiya Wadhawan added 70 runs each, and Sahil Lotra’s valuable 72 strengthened the team’s commanding position.
Despite boasting experienced names on paper, Karnataka’s batting line-up collapsed under relentless pressure from J&K’s bowlers. Aaqib Nabi delivered a fiery spell, troubling senior players like KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal and Karun Nair, all of whom failed to make significant contributions.
Karnataka were bowled out for 293, handing Jammu & Kashmir a massive first-innings lead of 291 runs. Though they had the option to enforce the follow-on, J&K chose to bat again and continued their dominance, reaching 186 for 4 by the end of Day Four.
With their overwhelming first-innings advantage and all-round performance, Jammu & Kashmir sealed a memorable triumph, etching their name in history as first-time Ranji Trophy champions.
