Jammu & Kashmir in Ranji final: J&K CM, BCCI chief congratulate team for historic win
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, BCCI president Mithun Manhas, and former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan led the flood of congratulatory messages after Jammu and Kashmir entered their maiden final of the Ranji Trophy, defeating Bengal by six wickets in the semifinal on February 18, 2026.
The landmark victory ended a 67-year wait and sparked celebrations across the Union Territory, with social media platforms flooded with messages describing the achievement as a golden chapter for J&K cricket. For a side that made its Ranji Trophy debut in the 1959-60 season against Eastern Punjab, the breakthrough marks the most significant moment in its domestic cricket history.
Electing to field first in the semifinal at Kalyani, Jammu and Kashmir were set a cumulative target of 427 runs, 328 from Bengal’s first innings and 99 in the second. The team responded with composure and resilience, scoring 302 in the first innings before chasing down the remainder with 126 for four in the second innings to seal a historic berth in the final.
Omar Abdullah hailed the collective effort behind the triumph and underlined its importance for the people of the region.
“No one wins the Ranji Trophy alone. This is the success of the entire team, and of the support staff as well. I congratulate them all on my behalf and on behalf of the entire people of Jammu and Kashmir. I hope the day is not far off when we will start seeing players from Jammu and Kashmir playing a very important role in the national team.”
On Wednesday, when the Jammu and Kashmir team created history by reaching its first-ever Ranji Trophy final, Mithun Manhas could afford to be emotional.
“It wasn’t very easy at that time when I took over as the administrator. The then BCCI secretary Jay Shah gave me a free hand and told me that do whatever is needed to get Jammu and Kashmir cricket back on track,” Manhas told PTI in an exclusive interaction after J&K’s six-wicket win over two-time former champions Bengal in the Ranji semifinal in Kalyani.
“I was watching the match on TV and beating a side like Bengal that had players like Mohammed Shami and Akash Deep is a huge achievement. The cricketer in me is emotional as I ended my first-class career and also worked with the state unit there.”
Talking about the team, Manhas said he always knew that talent was not an issue but a proper set-up was needed to make things happen.
“I would give a lot of credit to Brigadier Anil Gupta, who has done a commendable job. When I took over, we conducted talent hunt competition,” he said, referring to his colleague in the BCCI sub-committee that oversaw J&K cricket administration back in the day.
“You see left-arm seamer Sunil Kumar, who played a big role, is a product of that talent hunt. Having played nearly two decades in Delhi, I had an idea what is required to succeed at this level. We had a Cricket Committee that did a fine job, with honesty and transparency,” Manhas, the Delhi legend with 9714 runs in 157 first-class games, said.
Irfan Pathan also joined the celebrations, posting a reel on Instagram congratulating the entire team and highlighting the performance of Aquib Navi. Pathan said that one might soon see Aquib Navi playing Test cricket and that the day is not too far away.
Aquib Navi, who was named Player of the Match, delivered a mind-boggling performance with a nine-wicket match haul. He also contributed 42 crucial runs as a lower-order batter in the first innings, playing a decisive role in guiding Jammu and Kashmir into their first Ranji Trophy final.
The achievement ends a 67-year struggle and represents a defining moment for Jammu and Kashmir cricket. From being perennial underdogs to historic finalists this season, the team’s journey has been marked by perseverance, structural rebuilding and belief. With the final now in sight, Jammu and Kashmir stand on the cusp of completing one of the most remarkable chapters in the history of the Ranji Trophy.
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