Auqib Nabi and Qamran Iqbal Propel Jammu & Kashmir Close to Maiden Ranji Trophy Title

Jammu & Kashmir moved within touching distance of their first-ever Ranji Trophy title after a spectacular all-round performance on day four of the final against Karnataka. With a combination of Auqib Nabi’s seventh five-wicket haul of the season and an unbeaten 94 by Qamran Iqbal, J&K ended the day 477 runs ahead with six wickets intact. Karnataka, trailing by a massive 364 runs at the start of the day, were hoping centurion Mayank Agarwal could anchor a revival. Kruthik Krishna initially supported him, putting on 79 runs for the sixth wicket. However, a controversial LBW decision against Kruthik for 36, followed by Nabi’s lethal spell, saw Karnataka bowled out for 293, handing J&K a 291-run first-innings lead. Choosing to bat again rather than enforce the follow-on, J&K began cautiously, losing two early wickets to Karnataka bowlers. But Qamran Iqbal’s unbeaten 94, supported by a resilient partnership with Abdul Samad (32), crushed any hopes of a Karnataka comeback. Qamran struck 11 fours and a six, often relying on unconventional footwork and sharp hand-eye coordination to keep the scoreboard ticking. Auqib Nabi was once again the star with the ball, finishing with figures of 5 for 54. He also became the highest wicket-taker of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy, claiming 60 wickets in the season. His performance, coupled with effective support from left-arm quick Sunil Kumar and spinners, ensured Karnataka never threatened to overturn the huge deficit. Captain Paras Dogra contributed with the bat but fell before a significant partnership could develop. However, Qamran and Samad’s 73-run fourth-wicket stand further extended J&K’s lead, taking the visitors closer to a historic triumph. By stumps, J&K were 186 for 4 in their second innings, with Qamran and Sahil Lotra undefeated, needing just a small effort on the final day to secure the maiden Ranji Trophy title.