Jammu & Kashmir's Magical Ranji Trophy Victory: A Historic Triumph Celebrated by Shastri
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New Delhi, March 3 (NationPress) Former Indian cricketer and coach Ravi Shastri extended his heartfelt congratulations to the Jammu & Kashmir team for securing their first-ever Ranji Trophy title, highlighting the remarkable achievement as a brilliant illustration of how the domestic tournament creates unforgettable fairy tale moments.
Shastri emphasized that even with the T20 World Cup 2026 advancing towards its knockout stages and delivering thrilling moments, the standout story from the past week was the triumph of the team led by Paras Dogra.
"As the World Cup enters its critical phase, with everyone's attention on the main event… the most heartwarming narrative of last week emerged from a different arena," Shastri expressed on X.
He praised the resilience and self-assurance of the Jammu & Kashmir squad as they overcame the formidable eight-time champions, Karnataka.
"Jammu & Kashmir lifting the Ranji Trophy for the very first time. Let that sink in. What a journey. What an incredible story. Paras Dogra, Ajay Sharma, and this courageous team have navigated a challenging path, defeating giants one after another, showcasing their determination and self-belief. No shortcuts were taken; only hard work and enormous hearts," he remarked.
"That’s the magic of the #RanjiTrophy. It conjures up fairy tales. And this one will be cherished for years to come. Huge congratulations to the boys from J&K. You have instilled pride in the entire cricketing community," he concluded.
The J&K team made history at the Hubli Cricket Ground on Saturday, clinching the Ranji Trophy 2025–26 title based on a substantial first-innings lead against the eight-time champions, Karnataka. After amassing a commanding 584 runs in their first innings, Jammu & Kashmir bowled out Karnataka for 293, establishing a significant 291-run lead.
They further asserted their dominance by declaring their second innings at 342/4, driven by an impressive unbeaten 160 from opener Qamran Iqbal and a solid century partnership with Sahil Lotra, before the match concluded in a draw, awarding the title based on first-innings lead.