‘Priority will be to keep politics out of sports’

Jammu, 19 June — History was made at the Ranji Trophy as Jammu and Kashmir booked their first-ever place in the final, sparking celebrations across the Union Territory and prompting top officials to promise a new, politics-free era for sport.

The side sealed the landmark berth with a semifinal victory over Bengal in Kalyani, triggering a wave of praise from chief minister Omar Abdullah, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha and the state legislative assembly. Sports minister Satish Sharma said the players deserved “greater applause” for overcoming chronic shortages in infrastructure and training facilities.

“Congratulations to the J&K cricket team on their magnificent victory in the Ranji Trophy semifinal,” Sinha posted on X. “You have etched a new golden chapter in the sporting history of J&K.”

Inside the assembly, Congress legislator Nizamuddin Bhat relayed news of the win, drawing loud applause from lawmakers. Speaker Kavinder Gupta joined members in congratulating the squad, while National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar hailed the day as “a red-letter day for Jammu and Kashmir cricket and for Jammu and Kashmir as a whole.”

Chief minister Abdullah described the run to the final as a renaissance for the region’s cricket, praising captain Paras Dogra for surpassing 10,000 Ranji runs and seamer Auqib Nabi for claiming nine wickets in the semifinal to lift his season tally to 55 from 16 innings. “This landmark achievement reflects the team’s determination, discipline and rising sporting culture in Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah said.

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti echoed the sentiment, crediting the squad for writing “a golden chapter in J&K’s sporting journey with grit, courage and unbreakable belief.”

Sports minister Sharma acknowledged that basic facilities for cricketers remain scarce but vowed systemic reform. “Our priority will be to keep politics and politicians away from sports,” he told The Times of India, adding that the government would streamline support structures for athletes. J&K sports council secretary Nuzhat Gul called the final qualification “a moment of immense pride.”

The team now prepares for the title match, aiming to cap a fairytale campaign that has already redefined what is possible for sport in the region.