Jammu & Kashmir stand on the precipice of cricketing history after Day 4 in Hubballi, ending the day with a massive 477-run lead over Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final. Driven by a clinical five-wicket haul from Baramulla pacer Auqib Nabi and a resilient, unorthodox 94* from Qamran Iqbal, J&K have effectively batted the hosts out of the contest.
Trailing by a mammoth 364 runs entering the day, Karnataka’s hopes rested on the shoulders of centurion Mayank Agarwal. While the veteran opener fought valiantly for a sensational 160, Nabi’s lentgh and accuracy eventually clipped Karnataka’s wings, securing a 291-run first-innings lead for the visitors.
Auqib Nabi has been the standout performer of the 2025-26 domestic season, and his performance on Friday served as a loud knock on the door for national selectors. By dismissing Shikhar Shetty to claim his 60th wicket of the season, Nabi became only the third fast bowler in the 92-year history of the Ranji Trophy to reach that milestone.
The highlight of his day was the masterfully crafted dismissal of Mayank Agarwal. After testing the opener with late outward movement and subtle length shifts, Nabi induced a sharp edge that was initially dropped, only to return and trap the Karnataka captain LBW with a delivery that zoomed in on the perfect spot.
Lead: Jammu & Kashmir lead by 477 runs with 6 wickets in hand.
Nabi’s milestone: 60 wickets this season; the 3rd highest for a pacer in Ranji history.
Resistance: Mayank Agarwal’s 160 was the lone pillar for Karnataka.
Replacement: Qamran Iqbal, an 11th-hour injury replacement, sits on 94 at stumps*.
First-innings lead: J&K secured a 291-run cushion after bowling Karnataka out for 293.
After J&K opted not to enforce the follow-on, the visitors suffered an early wobble at 11/2. However, Qamran Iqbal; flown in only after Shubham Khajuria was ruled out on match eve, produced a knock defined by hand-eye coordination and sheer grit.
Despite an unconventional technique that saw him clearing his front leg and playing "leg-side" to deliveries on the stumps, Iqbal’s approach riled the Karnataka seamers. His 94-run unbeaten stay included 11 fours and a six, surviving a fiery short-ball spell from Vijaykumar Vyshak that required umpire intervention. Alongside captain Paras Dogra, who absorbed 90 minutes of pressure, Iqbal steered J&K to 186/4 by stumps.
Karnataka’s bowlers, including India pacer Prasidh Krishna, found early success but were eventually worn down by the slow burn nature of the contest. With only three sessions of play left and a target nearing 500, Karnataka requires a miracle of unprecedented proportions to prevent J&K from lifting their first-ever Ranji Trophy.
