WATCH: Auqib Nabi creates HISTORY in Ranji Trophy final vs Karnataka, Delhi Capitals star puts Jammu and Kashmir on cusp of glory

Jammu and Kashmir's Auqib Nabi has become only the 3rd pacer in history of Ranji Trophy to claim 60 or more wickets in a season on Day 4 of the final match against Karnataka on Friday.

Karnataka vs Jammu and Kashmir Ranji Trophy 2026 final: Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi has been the standout bowler by far in this year's Ranji Trophy 2025-26 and he put a big stamp on this feat with his performance on Day 4 of the final against Karnataka in Hubli on Friday. Nabi completed a brilliant 7th five-wicket haul for the season to become the leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy tournament this year to bundle out Karnataka 293 and give J&K a massive 291-run first-innings lead.

Opener Kamran Iqbal's incredible 94 not out off 160 balls with 11 fours and 1 six just extended the advantage over former champions Karnataka as J&K ended the penultimate day with a massive lead of 477 runs. It is now almost certain that Jammu and Kashmir will bag a historic first-ever Ranji Trophy title on Saturday the final day of the game.

But it was Nabi who had the bragging rights on Day 4 as well. After two incredible balls to dismiss Karun Nair and this year's leading run-scorer Ravichandran Smaran for ducks on Thursday, Nabi dismissed Karnataka's centurion Mayank Agarwal for 160 in 266, trapping him leg-before to bag his 4th wicket on the fourth day.

Agarwal's wicket helped him draw level with Uttarakhand's Mayank Mishra on 59 wickets for season and he had to wait for a while to claim his 5th and record-breaking 60th scalp for the season. However, the wait was finally over when Nabi went up for a leg-before appeal against No. 10 batter Shikhar Shetty, one ball after he was dropped by J&K wicketkeeper on nought.

While the field umpire had given it not out, J&K captain Paras Dogra sent it up for review and the replays showed that the ball was hitting the top of off-stump. The wicket of Shetty was Nabi's 60th in 10 games this year at an amazing average of 12.56 with 7 five-wicket hauls.

WATCH Auqib Nabi of Jammu and Kashmir complete a brilliant 5-wicket haul vs Karnataka in Ranji Trophy 2026 final HERE

 

Nabi became only the third seamer in the history of Ranji Trophy to claim at least 60 wickets in a season after Saurashtra's Jaydev Unadkat (67 in 2019-20) and Dodda Ganesh for Karnataka (62 in 1998-99). The Jammu and Kashmir pacer was bought for Rs 8.4 crore by Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2026 mini auction last year.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was full of praise for the new Delhi Capitals recruit. "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," Ganguly wrote on 'X'.

"Aqib nabi on his way to national colours .. england is the place to start in the summer," (sic) he added, tagging the BCCI, senior men's selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.

 

Jammu and Kashmir went to stumps at 186 for 4 in 57 overs with an overall lead of 477 with Qamran Iqbal and Sahil Lotra, batting on 16 off 41 balls, in the middle.