Jammu and Kashmir has been awarded the hosting rights for the Irani Cup against Rest of India from October 1 to 6, 2026. The fixture will take place at Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar, marking a significant milestone for the region’s cricket. This honour comes after J&K won the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, claiming their maiden title in the tournament’s history.
The BCCI has been actively involved in assessing the venue’s readiness for the prestigious domestic fixture. Officials from the board have visited Srinagar twice to guide the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association on the necessary infrastructure enhancements required to host a match of this calibre.
“The stadium is bracing for the big game. It will need a major uplift as the match will be telecast live. The BCCI has sent its team twice to Srinagar to guide the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association on what needs to be done to host the big game. We need to have a commentators’ box, proper telecast arrangements, a media box and a few more stands – both temporary and permanent – for the spectators,” a source told Times of India.
Historic venue and recent cricket
The current seating capacity of Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium stands at 5,000. The venue has hosted international cricket matches previously, including India versus West Indies on October 13, 1983, and India versus Australia on September 9, 1986. More recently, the stadium hosted a Ranji Trophy match between Mumbai and Jammu and Kashmir from October 15 to 18, during which Shams Mulani scored 91 and took 7 for 46, earning the Player of the Match award.
J&K’s domestic cricket schedule ahead
Jammu and Kashmir will begin their Ranji Trophy title defence on October 11 against Madhya Pradesh in the 2026-27 season. The team has been placed in Elite Group A alongside Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Baroda, Puducherry, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Goa. Fast bowler Auqib Nabi, 29, from Baramulla, was selected for India’s two-Test assignment in Sri Lanka, adding to the region’s representation in national cricket.
Auqib Nabi took 60 wickets in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, the most by any bowler in that tournament. His performance was instrumental in J&K’s maiden Ranji Trophy triumph. Rest of India has won 30 Irani Cup titles across the tournament’s history, while Mumbai, the most successful team in the competition, has claimed 15 titles. The Irani Cup is contested between the Ranji Trophy champions and Rest of India, making it a prestigious fixture in Indian domestic cricket.
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