Jammu And Kashmir Vs Bengal, Ranji Trophy: J&K Enter Maiden Final; Former Champions Left Stunned In Kalyani
Jammu and Kashmir scripted history by reaching the Ranji Trophy finals for the first time in their 67-year history. They defeated two-time former champions Bengal by six wickets on day four of the semi-final in Kalyani on Wednesday. Set a target of 126, J&K chased it down in 34.4 overs, with Vanshaj Sharma (43 not out) and Abdul Samad (30 not out) steering them past the finish line. At stumps on day three, J&K were 43/2, and lost overnight batter Shubham Pundir (27) and skipper Paras Dogra (9) early on day four. But Vanshaj and Samad dug in with a 55-run partnership. This was after pace spearhead Auqib Nabi had wreaked havoc by taking nine wickets in the match. J&K first participated in the Ranji Trophy in the 1959-60 season. During the 2013-14 season, they qualified for the knockouts for the first time in over a decade.
Jammu and Kashmir's Vanshaj Sharma, right, celebrates after the team's victory in the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match against Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Jammu and Kashmir's Vanshaj Sharma with teammates celebrates after the team's victory in the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match against Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Jammu and Kashmir's players lift their coach Ajay Sharma as they celebrate the team's victory in the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match against Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Jammu and Kashmir's Shubham Pundir plays a shot during the third day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match between Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Jammu and Kashmir's Abdul Samad plays a shot during the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match between Jammu and Kashmir and Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Jammu and Kashmir's Vanshaj Sharma plays a shot during the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match between Jammu and Kashmir and Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Bengal's Akash Deep celebrates the wicket of Jammu and Kashmir's captain Paras Dogra during the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match between Jammu and Kashmir and Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Bengal's Mohammed Shami celebrates the wicket of Jammu and Kashmir's Shubham Pundir during the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match between Jammu and Kashmir and Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Jammu and Kashmir's Abdul Samad plays a shot during the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match between Jammu and Kashmir and Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
Kalyani: Bengal's Akash Deep with teammates celebrates the wicket of Jammu and Kashmir's captain Paras Dogra during the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal cricket match between Jammu and Kashmir and Bengal, at the Bengal Cricket Academy Ground, in Kalyani, West Bengal. | Photo: PTI/Manvender Vashist Lav
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