Kalyani (West Bengal), Feb 18: Jammu and Kashmir clinched a place in the Ranji Trophy final for the first time in 67 years, defeating Bengal by six wickets in the semifinal on Wednesday.
Chasing a modest target of 126 on the fourth day, J&K completed the task in 34.4 overs. Vanshaj Sharma remained unbeaten on 43, while Abdul Samad contributed an unbeaten 30 as the duo guided the visitors home with a crucial 55-run partnership.
Earlier, pace bowler Auqib Nabi delivered a match defining performance, claiming nine wickets across both innings to dismantle the two-time champions’ batting lineup.
Resuming at 43/2, J&K faced early setbacks with the dismissals of Shubham Pundir (27) and captain Paras Dogra (9). However, composure from the middle order ensured there were no further hiccups in the chase.
Jammu and Kashmir, who made their Ranji Trophy debut in the 1959-60 season, had rarely threatened deep runs in the tournament. Their previous best came in 2013-14 when they reached the knockout stage after a long gap.
Brief Scores:
Bengal – 328 & 99 (25.1 overs)
Jammu and Kashmir – 302 & 126/4 (34.4 overs)