Kalyani, West Bengal, Feb 18: Jammu and Kashmir made history on Wednesday by reaching the Ranji Trophy final for the first time in their 67-year participation, defeating two-time former champions Bengal by six wickets in the semifinal here.
Chasing a modest target of 126 set by the home side, J&K achieved it in 34.4 overs, with key contributions from Vanshaj Sharma (43 not out) and Abdul Samad (30 not out), who guided the team past the finish line.
Earlier, pace spearhead Auqib Nabi had turned the match in J&K’s favour by taking nine wickets, dismantling Bengal’s chances of setting a challenging total.
Jammu and Kashmir first competed in the Ranji Trophy during the 1959-60 season and were rarely seen as serious contenders until recent years. They had made it to the knockouts once in the 2013-14 season, their first in over a decade.
At stumps on day three, J&K were 43/2. On day four, they lost overnight batter Shubham Pundir (27) and skipper Paras Dogra (9) early, but a 55-run partnership between Vanshaj Sharma and Abdul Samad secured the historic victory.
Brief Scores:
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Bengal: 328 & 99 in 25.1 overs
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Jammu and Kashmir: 302 & 126/4 in 34.4 overs (Vanshaj Sharma 43*, Abdul Samad 30*) (Agencies)
