Kolkata/Lucknow, Feb 14: First time semifinalists Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand will seek to prolong their fairytale campaigns when they face formidable opponents in the Ranji Trophy semifinals.
Jammu and Kashmir enter uncharted territory after a landmark 56-run victory over Madhya Pradesh in Indore, sealing their best ever finish in the tournament since debuting in 1959-60. Spearhead Auqib Nabi led the charge with match figures of 12/110 and has accumulated 46 wickets this season, forming a reliable pace combination with left-armer Sunil Kumar, who has claimed 22 scalps.
Their batting unit has also delivered consistently, with Abdul Samad amassing 543 runs and skipper Paras Dogra contributing 484, often steadying the innings under pressure.
Standing in their path is a confident Bengal side that dominated Andhra Pradesh in the quarterfinals with an and 90 run triumph in Kalyani. Sudip Kumar Gharami’s marathon 299 headlined a robust top order that includes Sumanta Gupta, Anustup Majumdar and Abhimanyu Easwaran. Bengal’s bowling attack, featuring Shahbaz Ahmed alongside experienced pacers Mohammed Shami, Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar, adds depth to their lineup. The semifinal will be played at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani.
In the other last-four encounter at Lucknow’s Ekana Cricket Stadium, Uttarakhand meet eight-time champions Karnataka after an emphatic innings and six run win over Jharkhand. Spinner Mayank Mishra, who tops the tournament’s wicket charts with 52 dismissals, starred in the quarterfinal with an eight-wicket haul. All rounder Jagadeesha Suchith and captain Kunal Chandela have been instrumental with both bat and ball, while Bhupen Lalwani has reinforced the batting order.
Karnataka, fresh from eliminating defending champions Mumbai in a four-wicket thriller, are chasing their first title since 2014-15. With Mayank Agarwal, Devdutt Padikkal, Smaran Ravichandran and Karun Nair in strong form, and KL Rahul delivering a decisive century in the previous round, the southern powerhouse carries significant pedigree. Their bowling resources, led by Shreyas Gopal and supported by Vidwath Kaverappa, Shikhar Shetty and Prasidh Krishna, further enhance their title ambitions.
While Bengal and Karnataka hold the edge in experience, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand have shown resilience and composure, setting the stage for two gripping semifinal contests.