{"id":"f-73cd9b4b27-e7a668c0-977d-5094-b664-859e9d942267","title":"WATCH: Auqib Nabi breathes fire to destroy star-studded Karnataka top-order as J&K assert authority in Ranji final","description":"Auqib Nabi took prized wickets of KL Rahul, Karun Nair and Ravichandran Smaran to dismantle the Karnataka top-order as Jammu and Kashmir consolidated their position in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final.","timestamp":1772155800,"category":"sports","headline":"WATCH: Auqib Nabi breathes fire to destroy star-studded Karnataka top-order as J&K assert authority in Ranji final","modifiedHeadline":"Watch: Auqib rips through Karnataka top order!","subCategories":["scid_185ed133"],"subcategoriesName":["Cricket"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"6ff0e53c-03a9-4fac-a199-00040694f01a","bundleTitle":"Indian Cricket","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"491","fcSummary":"jammu and kashmir's auqib nabi dar delivered a stunning bowling performance in the ranji trophy final against karnataka, taking three crucial wickets including kl rahul for a golden duck. his exceptional spell, featuring angled deliveries that beat seasoned batters, significantly impacted karnataka's chase of a massive 584 first-innings total. j&k’s strong batting, with six half-centuries and a century from shubham pundir, set the stage for this dominant display.","summary":"Auqib unleashed a fiery spell to dismantle Karnataka’s star-studded top order, triggering a dramatic collapse and putting his side firmly in control.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/astrology/IN/en/news9/f-73cd9b4b27-e7a668c0-977d-5094-b664-859e9d942267","sourceUrl":"https://www.news9live.com/sports/cricket-news/watch-auqib-nabi-breathes-fire-to-destroy-karnataka-top-order-as-jk-assert-authority-in-ranji-final-2936317","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/chyL6LyFHYz0.webp","content":"

New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi Dar continued his remarkable run in the domestic circuit by demolishing a star-studded Karnataka top-order

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with a breathtaking spell with the new ball on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 final at the KSCA Hubli Cricket Ground, Hubli.

After a sensational collective batting display powered J&K to a mammoth and potentially decisive 584 in the first innings, Nabi cemented the first-time finalists’ supremacy with an outstanding bowling display.\n

With an uphill task to overhaul the massive first-innings total, Karnataka openers Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul started cautiously, scoring at less than three runs per over.

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Perhaps it would have been better had the international cricketers shown some positive intent. The constant pressure from J&K bowlers yielded a productive result in the 12th over when Nabi bowled an unplayable delivery to get the big wicket of Rahul for 13, giving their side the first breakthrough.

WATCH: Rahul undone by a brute of a delivery from Nabi

Not even a seasoned batter like Rahul had a reply to Nabi’s brute of a delivery, which was angled in but moved away slightly after pitching to get a faint edge of Rahul’s bat.

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Big wicket of KL Rahul \uD83D\uDD25
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\uD83C\uDFA5 Watch Auqib Nabi’s delivery that gave J&K the massive breakthrough and a crucial early wicket in the #RanjiTrophy Final!
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Updates ▶️ https://t.co/G0ytZLEyNB @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/y92jjuPebT
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— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 26, 2026
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After getting that taste of blood, Nabi, like a hungry lion, attacked the Karnataka batters with more aggression. The prolific pacer was rewarded for his relentless effort in the 18th over with back-to-back wickets of Karun Nair and Ravichandran Smaran.

Both dismissals were down to the quality of Nabi, who outfoxed Nair, with an angled delivery that nipped away to beat the seasoned batter’s outside edge to crash into the stumps. He followed it up with another peach to get rid of the left-handed Smaran, the highest run-getter this season.

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Smaran might have scored 950 runs at an average of close to 87, but in the all-important clash, he was dismissed for a golden duck by Nabi, who, at the time of publishing this article, is just one wicket away from equalling Uttarakhan spinner Mayank Mishra’s tally of 59 wickets, and two away from surpassing him to become the highest wicket-taker this season.

WATCH: Back-to-back dismissals worth watching again and again

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Back-to-back rippers \uD83D\uDD25
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Karun Nair ✅
\n Smaran Ravichandran ✅
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Auqib Nabi and J&K are on a roll in the Final \uD83D\uDC4C
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Updates ▶️ https://t.co/G0ytZLEyNB @IDFCFIRSTBank | #RanjiTrophy pic.twitter.com/r9QAH28O8f
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— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) February 26, 2026
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Nabi has backed his prolific 2024–25 Ranji season when he took 44 wickets, the second-most overall, with an even better performance. Judging by his consistent performances, a national call-up doesn’t look too far away.

Earlier, J&K put on a strong batting display after electing to bat first, thanks to half-centuries from six of the top seven batters, including a century from Shubham Pundir.

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WATCH: Auqib Nabi breathes fire to destroy star-studded Karnataka top-order as J&K assert authority in Ranji final

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