Jammu & Kashmir in Ranji final: J&K CM, BCCI chief congratulate team for historic win

Jammu and Kashmir entered their maiden Ranji Trophy final after defeating Bengal by six wickets in the semifinal on February 18, 2026, drawing congratulations from chief minister Omar Abdullah, BCCI president Mithun Manhas and former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan.

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.