In a historic breakthrough, Jammu and Kashmir’s cricket team has scripted a fairy tale by storming into the Ranji Trophy semifinals for the very first time. The spirited side from the Union Territory pulled off a stunning 56-run victory over defending champions Madhya Pradesh at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Monday.
Chasing a challenging target of 291 runs in the fourth innings, Madhya Pradesh crumbled under pressure, folding up for a disappointing 234. This triumph not only avenged past defeats but also marked J&K’s entry into the tournament’s elite top four.
The match began with Madhya Pradesh winning the toss and opting to bowl first. J&K responded resiliently, posting 194 in their first innings. Opener Shubham Khajuria anchored the innings with a solid 60, while skipper Paras Dogra contributed 33 crucial runs.
Madhya Pradesh’s bowling attack was led by pacer Kuldeep Sen, who claimed an impressive five-wicket haul. Spinner Kumar Kartikeya chipped in with three scalps, and Aryan Pandey took two.
In reply, Madhya Pradesh faltered badly, managing just 152 all out and trailing by 42 runs. Yash Dubey top-scored with 58, but J&K’s Aqib Nabi ran riot, ripping through the batting lineup with a magnificent seven-wicket burst. Sunil Kumar supported with three wickets.
Buoyed by the lead, J&K batted second and compiled 248. Vanshraj Sharma led with 54, followed by Abid Mushtaq’s 41, Abdul Samad’s 32, Sunil Kumar’s 26, and Kanhaiya Wadhwan’s 23.
Madhya Pradesh bowlers fought back, with Kuldeep Sen grabbing four wickets, and Venkatesh Iyer along with Ramveer Singh Gurjar taking three each.
Needing 291, Madhya Pradesh’s chase never took off. Saransh Jain fought valiantly with 64, but Aqib Nabi struck again with five wickets in the second innings. Abid Mushtaq claimed three, while Sunil Kumar and Yudvir Singh picked one each.
Aqib Nabi’s match-winning 12-wicket haul earned him the Player of the Match award, capping a dream performance that has sent J&K into the semifinals with momentum and belief.