New Delhi: Sixty-seven years after their debut, Jammu and Kashmir reached the Ranji Trophy final for the first time, beating Bangladesh by six wickets in a stunning semi-final victory to cap off a fairytale run. Chasing 126 runs at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground on Wednesday, the visitors sealed the historic win with an unbroken 55 runs thanks to Abdul Samad’s unbeaten 30 off 27 balls and Vanshaj Sharma’s 43 not out.
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In a touching moment that symbolized the team’s unity, Samad stepped aside and allowed young Van Scheij to finish the chase. The 22-year-old duly fulfilled his duty, sending Mukesh Kumar into the net for six, sparking exciting celebrations in the Jammu and Kashmir camp.
The foundation of the victory was laid by pace spearhead Auqib Nabi, who won the match by nine wickets to defeat Bangladesh. Looking back on what has been achieved, Nabi said: “We lost in the quarter-finals last time but we deserved it for all the hard work we put in.” The 29-year-old completed a remarkable season with an outstanding average of 55 wickets, underscoring his role as the architect of the team’s success.
Jammu and Kashmir’s journey to the final marks a huge turnaround for a team that was once labeled as a “perennial underperformer”. They played 334 games over the decades with limited success, but their resurgence under captain Paras Dogra and coach Ajay Sharma has been remarkable. Dogra himself reached a major milestone by becoming the second batsman to score 10,000 runs in the Ranji Trophy. “It’s a huge achievement, never imagined. I’ve enjoyed the journey that has been full of ups and downs. This game makes you a strong person,” he said.
Bangladesh, despite having international stars, failed to defend a small target after being bowled out for just 99 in the second innings. Samad’s fearless batting turned the tide and drained the confidence of the hosts.
Brief results:
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Bengal: Scored 328 and 99 runs in 25.1 overs respectively.
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Jammu and Kashmir: Scored 302 and 126 runs in 4 games in 34.4 overs (Vanshaj Sharma 43 not out, Abdul Samad 30 not out).