SRINAGAR: Jammu Kashmir secured a comprehensive 281-run victory over Hyderabad on the final day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group fixture on Wednesday, capping a dominant all-round performance built on disciplined bowling, a resilient middle order and sustained pressure from the outset.
Spinner Abid Mushtaq delivered the match-defining spell, claiming 7 for 68 to dismantle Hyderabad’s second-innings resistance. His accuracy, sharp turn and unrelenting pressure on both edges triggered repeated middle-order collapses, leaving the visitors with little hope of mounting a chase.
The emphatic win further strengthened JK’s position in Elite Group D, consolidating them at second place after the completion of the first phase of the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy. The side, led by Paras Dogra, has shown consistent growth this season, marking one of their strongest campaigns in recent years.
Sent in to bat first, JK were restricted to 170, with Hyderabad spinners Tanay Thyagarajan (3/19) and Kartikeya (3/48) exploiting early assistance. However, a brisk 57 from Abid Mushtaq and a valuable 34 from Abdul Samad lifted the total to a competitive score.
Hyderabad faltered in reply, managing just 121 as Sunil Kumar tore through the line-up with figures of 5 for 29, supported by Auqib Nabi’s 4 for 39. JK’s 49-run first-innings lead laid the platform for a commanding second-innings display.
Abdul Samad’s superb 125 and wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan’s polished 95 steered JK to 422, setting Hyderabad a daunting 472-run target. Despite a promising 47 from Tanmay Agarwal, the chase crumbled once Mushtaq entered the attack, culminating in Hyderabad’s dismissal for 190.
As JK shift focus to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the team appear in formidable touch. Team manager Hilal Ahmad credited the turnaround to the JKCA’s renewed administrative stability under Brigadier Anil Gupta and Majid Dar, with BCCI president Mithun Manhas also playing a key role in revitalising cricket in the region.
Jammu Kashmir Ranji Trophy 2025–26 Results
vs Mumbai – Lost by 35 runs
vs Rajasthan – Won by an innings and 41 runs
vs Chhattisgarh – Drawn, conceded first-innings lead
vs Delhi – Won by 7 wickets
vs Hyderabad – Won by 281 runs
Upcoming: vs Puducherry (22–25 January 2026), vs Himachal Pradesh (29 January–1 February 2026)
With two crucial fixtures remaining in the next phase beginning January, JK remain well-placed in the race for the knockouts. Reinforcements including Yudhvir Charak and Umran Malik for the Mushtaq Ali Trophy add further strength to a side increasingly viewed as a rising force in domestic cricket.
