In a moment that captured the essence of Jammu and Kashmir’s fairytale Ranji Trophy 2025-26 campaign, the fast bowler Auqib Nabi Produced a brilliant delivery to remove the star batsman KL Rahul Lunch time on the third day of the Ranji Trophy final against Karnataka at the KSCA Stadium on Thursday. The prized wicket restricted the eight-time champions to 35/1, still 549 runs short of J&K’s first innings total of 584.
Auqib Nabi surprised KL Rahul very beautifully
J&K posted a mammoth total of 584 runs in their first innings thanks to Shubham Pundir’s 121 and half-centuries from five other batsmen. After Nabi turned his attention to dismantling Karnataka’s star-studded batting lineup, the 29-year-old right-arm pacer, who has been the cornerstone of J&K’s historic season, produced a moment of magic just before lunch.
Bowling a skidded back-of-a-length delivery which straightened after pitching up, Nabi took a light edge from Rahul’s bat, which was safely taken by wicketkeeper Kanhaiya Wadhawan. Although the on-field umpire initially rejected the strong appeal, J&K captain Paras Dogra immediately reviewed the decision. UltraEdge confirmed a clear rise, and what followed was complete jubilation in the J&K camp as ‘Out’ was being displayed on the big screen.
Rahul, who was not looking much troubled till then, could only score 13 runs in 39 balls with the help of two fours. The dismissal took Karnataka’s score to 27/1 in 11.2 overs and by lunch their score was 35/1, still facing a huge deficit.
This wicket was not an accidental wicket but the culmination of Nabi’s continuous pressure. Right from his first over, the fast bowler bowled brilliantly, troubling Rahul time and again and hitting him with the bat on several occasions.
In his second over, Nabi bowled what commentators called a “peach” – a ball that spun sharply, dislocating Rahul’s right leg. India Today’s live blog captured the moment: “Peach! A touch fuller, outside off, shaping up to be a shade away. KL Rahul looks to flick it but gets completely beaten. What a delivery from Auqib Nabi.”
Here is the video:
Big wicket of KL Rahul 🔥
🎥 Watch the delivery from Auqib Nabi that gave Jammu and Kashmir a huge success and a crucial early wicket #RanjiTrophy Last!
Update ▶️ https://t.co/G0ytZLEyNB@IDFCFIRSTBANK pic.twitter.com/y92jjuPebT
– BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) 26 February 2026
Nabi’s figures of 3-2-3-0 in his opening spell reflect his hold on the Karnataka openers. Mayank Agarwal And Rahul was forced to adopt disciplined lines and a cautious approach against the movement.
IPL connection: Future teammates become enemies
An interesting subplot in the contest is the fact that both Nabi and Rahul will share the dressing room. Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Starting from 26th March. Delhi Capitals (DC) Rs 8.40 crore was spent on Nabi in the auction, making him the most expensive Kashmir player in IPL history.
The irony of dismissing a future teammate was not lost on observers. Nabi’s ability to trouble Rahul with the new ball shows why Capitals invested heavily in the fast bowler, who has now taken an extraordinary 56 wickets at an average of less than 13 in his season.
Nabi’s brilliant performance with the ball
This performance is just the latest chapter in a historic season for the Prophets. The 29-year-old started his domestic campaign with a bang, taking a double hat-trick on his debut in the Duleep Trophy. In the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh, he took a sensational 12 wickets to take Jammu and Kashmir to the semi-finals for the first time.
He then took nine wickets in the semi-final against Bengal, including five in the first innings, earning him the Player of the Match award.