Sport is replete with examples where the most well-thought-out of plans and best-informed of decisions have come a cropper.
But Jammu & Kashmir, for a fourth straight day, displayed clockwork precision to ensure that its march towards cricketing history would remain unaltered.
On the penultimate day of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy final at the KSCA Rajnagar Stadium here, Auqib Nabi secured his fourth five-wicket haul in five innings (5/54) and became the season’s highest wicket-taker (60) as Karnataka folded for 293 and conceded a massive 291-run first-innings lead.
Then, the away batters – led by the delightfully unorthodox Qamran Iqbal (94 n.o., 160b, 11×4, 1×6), who enlivened proceedings not just through his shot-making but also via the banter he indulged in with Karnataka speedster V. Vyshak – battled their way to 186 for four to swell the advantage to 477 runs.
With just Saturday left, it is only a matter of time before J & K ascends the Indian domestic game’s pulpit for the first time ever.
Auqib Nabi celebrates a wicket with his teammates.
| Photo Credit:
K. MURALI KUMAR
The host took the field on Friday hoping for overnight batters Kruthik Krishna and Mayank Agarwal to bat as long as they can. But the former’s dismissal in the ninth over of the morning for 36 (101b, 2×4) pegged the side back.
The on-field umpire adjudged Kruthik leg-before but the southpaw challenged it. A 10-minute-long review ensued, where it had to first be adjudicated if there was bat on ball.
With the third umpire deeming that there was no conclusive evidence to prove that, the on-field call stood, laying bare the fact that despite all the technological support and attempts to make things black and white, cricket still has a lot of grey.
Mayank soldiered on, bringing up his 150 with an edged boundary after substitute wicket-keeper Dikshant Kundal grassed a catch.
But when Nabi removed him for 160 (266b, 21×4) and Shikhar Shetty for a duck – both leg-before and both on review – Karnataka was boxed into a corner.
It tried to jailbreak by sending back J & K’s first-essay performers Yawer Hassan and Shubham Pundir with just 11 on the board. The former chopped on a Prasidh Krishna delivery and the latter was caught down the leg-side off Vyshak.
Then, with the team score on 32, Iqbal was beaten all ends up by Vidyadhar Patil only for the bails to not fall despite the ball brushing against the stumps. Devdutt Padikkal & Co. were suddenly a chirpy lot, and perhaps sensed an ever-so-slight opening.
Skipper Paras Dogra, however, shut them down with a dogged 83-minute stay (16, 59b) before Iqbal and Abdul Samad (32, 70b, 4×4, 1×6) combined for 73 runs to all but crush Karnataka’s chances.
CM Abdullah to watch final day’s play
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah is scheduled to watch the final day’s play of the Ranji Trophy final in Hubballi on Saturday. J & K is on the cusp of a historic maiden Ranji triumph after having taken a massive 291-run first-innings lead over hosts Karnataka.
The scores: Jammu & Kashmir — 1st innings: 584.
Karnataka — 1st innings: K.L. Rahul c Wadhawan b Nabi 13, Mayank Agarwal lbw b Nabi 160, Devdutt Padikkal c Samad b Sunil 11, Karun Nair b Nabi 0, R. Smaran c Wadhawan b Nabi 0; Shreyas Gopal lbw b Yudhvir 27, Kruthik Krishna lbw b Lotra 36, Vidyadhar Patil c sub (Kundal) b Sunil 11, V. Vyshak (not out) 17, Shikhar Shetty lbw b Nabi 0, Prasidh Krishna c Sunil b Yudhvir 4; Extras (lb-3, nb-11): 14; Total (in 93.3 overs): 293.
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-56, 3-57, 4-57, 5-162, 6-241, 7-256, 8-278, 9-288.
Jammu & Kashmir bowling: Nabi 23-7-54-5, Sunil 19-6-51-2, Yudhvir 14.3-3-55-2, Abid 23-2-75-0, Lotra 12-1-50-1, Samad 2-0-5-0.
Jammu & Kashmir — 2nd innings: Qamran Iqbal (batting) 94, Yawer Hassan b Prasidh 1, Shubham Pundir c sub (Shrijith) b Vyshak 4; Paras Dogra b Prasidh 16, Abdul Samad c Vyshak b Shreyas 32, Sahil Lotra (batting) 16; Extras (b-17, lb-4, w-2): 23; Total (for four wkts. in 57 overs): 186.
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-11, 3-72, 4-145.
Karnataka bowling: Vyshak 10-1-30-1, Prasidh 12-0-42-2, Vidyadhar 9-0-39-0, Shikhar 10-3-27-0, Shreyas 16-6-27-1.
Published – February 27, 2026 10:13 pm IST
