Srinagar’s Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium Likely To Host Irani Cup 2026: Report

Srinagar could witness its biggest cricket event in nearly four decades as the Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium is set to host the Irani Cup 2026 between reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir and the Rest of India from October 1 to 5.

The fixture, however, is yet to receive official confirmation from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). If approved, it would become the most high-profile match played in Kashmir since India’s ODI against Australia at the same venue on September 9, 1986.

The Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium has staged only two One-Day Internationals. India first played the West Indies there on October 13, 1983, in a rain-affected game that was awarded to the visitors under the Duckworth-Lewis system. The second ODI saw Australia defeat India by three wickets in 1986.

The Irani Cup is contested between the winners of the previous Ranji Trophy season and a Rest of India team. Jammu and Kashmir qualified for the 2026 edition after winning the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, defeating Karnataka on the basis of a first-innings lead in the final at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground.

According to a Times of India report, Jammu and Kashmir head coach Ajay Sharma confirmed the proposed venue while speaking to the newspaper.

“The Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar will host the Irani Cup match between J&K and Rol from Oct 1-5,” Sharma told TOI.

Preparations for the marquee domestic fixture are already underway, with the stadium expected to undergo significant upgrades before the match.

Although the BCCI is yet to formally confirm Srinagar as the venue, the proposed hosting of the Irani Cup would mark a significant milestone for cricket in Jammu and Kashmir, bringing a major national domestic fixture back to the Valley after almost four decades.

The Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium currently has a seating capacity of about 5,000 spectators. However, reports suggest that additional temporary and permanent seating arrangements are being planned to meet the requirements for live television coverage and the expected increase in attendance.

Jammu and Kashmir are expected to be led by veteran batter Paras Dogra in the Irani Cup clash. They will face the Rest of India, the competition’s most successful side with 30 titles, while Mumbai remain second on the all-time list with 15 championships.

One of the key players for the hosts will be fast bowler Auqib Nabi Dar. The 29-year-old pacer from Baramulla enjoyed a remarkable 2025-26 Ranji Trophy campaign, taking 60 wickets at an average of 12.56 to finish as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker.

He also delivered a crucial spell of 5 for 54 in the first innings of the final against Karnataka and has since earned a place in India’s squad for the two-Test tour of Sri Lanka.

The stadium last staged a major domestic match in October 2025, when Jammu and Kashmir took on Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.

Drawn in Elite Group A alongside Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Baroda, Puducherry, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Goa, Jammu and Kashmir will shift their focus to the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy after the Irani Cup. The defending champions open their campaign against Madhya Pradesh on October 11.