Jammu and Kashmir’s dominant run in the Ranji Trophy continues as they restricted West Bengal to 328 in 97.1 overs on Day 2, setting their sights on a maiden and historic final appearance in 2026.
The dream run gained momentum after J&K qualified for their first-ever semi-final, setting up a scintillating clash against a strong West Bengal side. Considered one of the strongest bowling units in the country’s domestic circuit, J&K’s pace attack was led by premier fast bowler Aquib Nabi, while the batting order established a commanding 325-run lead.
Bengal resumed the game with hope, but struggled to counter the relentless pressure by J&K’s disciplined bowling unit. Sudip Gharami stood tall with a patient 146 off 246 balls, striking 21 fours. Abhimanyu Easwaran made 49, while Shahbaz Ahmed scored 42 and Sumanta Gupta added a brisk 39. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to convert starts.
Aquib Nabi led the charge with 5 for 87 in 26 overs, striking at key moments and removing set batters. Sunil Kumar supported him with 3 for 41, maintaining tight control. The bowling unit remained disciplined and denied Bengal any chance to fight back in the game.
J&K remains in a strong position and needs to apply further pressure on Bengal to set up a must-watch final against the winner of the second semi-final. In this year’s Ranji Trophy, there are two first-time semi-finalists, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttarakhand, surprising many with impressive performances from both teams.
There are strong chances that a new champion will be crowned in this edition of the Ranji Trophy. Jammu and Kashmir, like the rest of the country, is passionate about cricket, with enthusiastic fans across the region. At the same time, the Union Territory has also built a strong presence in Indian football.
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