Jammu and Kashmir are almost assured of the Ranji Trophy title after Auqib Nabi’s five-wicket haul earned them a first-innings lead against Karnataka on the penultimate day in Hubballi.
Equally impressive was opener Qamran Iqbal, who was batting on 94 at Stumps, as Jammu and Kashmir reached 186/4 in their second innings for an overall lead of 477 runs.
But it was because of Nabi, who took his seventh five-wicket haul (5/54) of the season, that the visitors bowled out Karnataka for 293, grabbing a lead of 291 runs.
Karnataka’s first innings revolved around a valiant 160 by former skipper Mayank Agarwal, but in the context of the match, the knock remained rather insignificant.
Pacer Nabi was in his elements once Karnataka resumed at 220/5.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly lauded their efforts. “J&K has shown the world what effort and intent can do .. They have made that region so proud of them .. tuff environment makes tuff people,” the former BCCI president wrote on X. “Aqib nabi on his way to national colours .. england is the place to start in the summer”.
Jammu & Kashmir started the fourth day with the two quicks, Nabi and Yudhvir Singh in tandem, but with the new ball due soon, the duo gave way to the spinners. And that’s when Sahil Lotra struck a decisive blow.
Lotra removed Kruthik Krishna, trapping him leg before even though the ball might have made a slight contact with the bat. Left-arm pacer Sunil Kumar ousted Vidyadhar Patil as the visitors maintained their upper hand.
Karnataka might have hoped to mount a fourth innings chase, as they had done a couple of times this season.
They started well too, reducing the opposition to 11/2, but Qamran Iqbal added 61 runs for the third wicket with captain Paras Dogra and then milked 73 for the fourth wicket with Abdul Samad.
Iqbal often used the space inside the crease to give himself room, carting bowlers for boundaries. It once irked Karnataka pacer Vysakh Vijayakumar, who verbally engaged with the batter, requiring the intervention of on-field umpire Rohan Pandit.
CM arrives
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah reached Hubballi on Friday to watch his team’s bid at the title. BCCI president Mithun Manhas, a former administrator of Jammu and Kashmir cricket, who was present in Hubballi from the first day, returned to the city and other top BCCI officials are also expected to join him.
Brief scores: Jammu & Kashmir 584 & 186/4 (Qamran Iqbal batting 94, Abdul Samad 32; Prasidh Krishna 2/42). Karnataka 293 (Mayank Agarwal 160; Auqib Nabi 5/54). At Stumps, Day IV.
