The Ranji Trophy Final 2026 at Hubballi took a dramatic turn on Day 3 as Karnataka’s pace spearhead, Prasidh Krishna, delivered a masterclass in persistence and skill. While the match had been dominated by a marathon batting performance from Jammu & Kashmir, the morning session belonged to Krishna, whose relentless spells finally broke the back of the J&K lower order. However, the talking point of the morning wasn’t just Krishna’s clinical fifer, but the incredibly unusual fashion in which Auqib Nabi lost his wicket, a moment that left commentators and fans alike in a state of disbelief.
Strange dismissal sees Auqib Nabi head back to pavilion in Ranji Trophy Final 2026
In a game defined by grit, Nabi’s departure will go down as one of the most bizarre sights in domestic cricket history. Facing the 163rd over of the innings, Nabi seemed mentally prepared for a short-ball barrage from the towering Krishna. As Krishna hit the crease for his sixth delivery of the over, Nabi pre-emptively committed to a duck, dropping his head and shoulders to avoid a bouncer that never came.
Instead, Krishna outsmarted the batter with a full-length delivery. Because Nabi had already crouched down, his bat was left dangled awkwardly in the air like a periscope. The ball skidded off the surface, kissed the edge of the static blade, and flew straight into the gloves of wicketkeeper Kruthik Krishna. Despite a difficult outing behind the stumps previously, Kruthik made no mistake in pouching the chance. Nabi stood frozen for a second, realizing he had effectively defended a full ball by trying to duck it, before trudging back to the pavilion for 2 (9). This wicket marked a turning point, providing Karnataka the opening they desperately needed to wrap up the tail.
Here’s the video:
A hard-fought fifer in a high-quality contest! ✋
The moment Prasidh Krishna secured his well-deserved 5️⃣-wicket haul!
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Prasidh Krishna’s fifer halts J&K’s marathon innings
While the unusual dismissal grabbed the headlines, the statistical highlight was Krishna’s five-wicket haul. J&K’s first innings was a testament to endurance, spanning 173.1 overs and yielding a massive total of 584. The foundation was laid by Yawer Hassan (88) and a brilliant century from Shubham Pundir (121), while veteran Paras Dogra contributed a steady 70 despite a temporary retirement from the crease.
Krishna’s figures of 5/96 in 34.1 overs were the result of pure toil on a surface that offered little assistance by the third day. His victims included the top-order threat of Qamran Iqbal (63) and the dangerous Abdul Samad (61). By removing Abid Mushtaq and then Nabi in quick succession, Krishna ensured that J&K didn’t push the score beyond the 600-run mark.
At Lunch on Day 3, Karnataka faced a daunting task, reaching 35/1 in 13 overs. The hosts lost the crucial wicket of Rahul (13), trapped by Nabi, who found some redemption with the ball, after a successful DRS challenge by J&K. With Mayank Agarwal (16) and Devdutt Padikkal (4) at the crease, Karnataka trails by 549 runs, setting the stage for a massive uphill battle in the remaining sessions of this Ranji Trophy Final.
Also WATCH: J&K captain Paras Dogra headbutts Karnataka fielder, Mayank Agarwal steps in to defuse tense moment
