Jammu and Kashmir reach first-ever Ranji Trophy final after beating Bengal; Delhi Capitals pacer shines

Jammu and Kashmir created history by reaching their maiden Ranji Trophy final after defeating Bengal on Day four of the semifinal at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground in Kalyani on Wednesday, February 18. The Paras Dogra-led team chased down a target of 126 runs to reach the final of the red-ball tournament.

Jammu and Kashmir reached their maiden Ranji Trophy final after a dominant win over Bengal. Auqib Nabi took nine wickets in the match and scored 42 off 54 balls in the first innings. They are likely to face Karnataka in the final, with Karnataka set to take a first-innings lead against Uttarakhand in the semifinal.

Jammu and Kashmir Defeat Bengal to Ranji Trophy Final

𝙎𝘾𝙀𝙉𝙀𝙎 𝙊𝙁 𝙋𝙐𝙍𝙀 𝙅𝙐𝘽𝙄𝙇𝘼𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 🤩

J&K create history as they defeat Bengal by 7️⃣ wickets to book their ticket to the #RanjiTrophy Final for the very first time 🫡

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/QXyCuRHJ6e@IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/VBKPD9I9mX

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— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 18, 2026

Bengal let control slip despite taking a 26-run first-innings lead after dismissing Jammu & Kashmir for 302 before lunch on Tuesday. They slumped to 77/6 in just 20 overs by tea and then lost their remaining four wickets within 5.1 overs.

Bengal were bowled out for 99, their lowest total against J&K in first-class cricket. Jammu & Kashmir were left needing only 126 runs for a historic win and ended Day 3 at 43/2, just 83 runs away from reaching their maiden Ranji Trophy final.

On Day 4, Bengal found early hope when Shami broke the overnight partnership by dismissing Pundir at 50/3. However, Paras Dogra and Vanshaj Sharma added a 21-run partnership for the fourth wicket to steady the chase.

Abdul Samad then played a brisk knock of 30 off 27 balls during an unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 55 runs off 42 balls. The partnership settled the innings and pushed Jammu & Kashmir firmly toward a place in the final.

Jammu and Kashmir Script History with Maiden Ranji Trophy Final

Jammu and Kashmir reached 126/4 to create history and qualify for their first Ranji Trophy final. The team waited 66 years for this moment after first playing the tournament in the 1959-60 season.

They recorded their first Ranji Trophy win in 1982-83 and suffered a painful one-run loss in the quarterfinals last season. This time, Jammu & Kashmir delivered impressive performances in the knockout stage and beat a strong Bengal side in West Bengal to seal a famous win.

It Has Sunk In Finally - Paras Dogra

Jammu and Kashmir captain Paras Dogra said that the win was significant for the team. He said that Bengal’s 26-run lead did not worry the side and added that the team believed they could turn the match around, even though they did not expect to dismiss Bengal so quickly.

"(Initial thoughts) It has sunk in finally. The target was a small one. We just needed one good partnership to get us over the line," Dogra said, as quoted by CREX.

"(Thoughts on conceding the lead) With 2.5 days left, 26 runs lead didn't scare us. We knew we could change it. Though we didn't know that we'll get them all out so fast."

"(On the team and management) It feels amazing to win today. Credit goes to the management and all out team members. From day one we have been talking about winning the Ranji Trophy. Hopefully we do that."

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