Rest of India’s comeback seals Iran Cup, Dogra looks ahead to Ranji

Srinagar, 4 Oct – In a decisive encounter at Sher‑e‑Kashmir Stadium, Rest of India emerged victorious over Jammu & Kashmir to claim the Iran Cup. The win came after Jammu & Kashmir, despite leading by 41 runs after the first innings, faltered dramatically, scoring only 111 runs while chasing 279.

Key figures for Rest of India were bowler Mukesh Kumar, who claimed six wickets, and Akashdeep, who added three. Captain Paras Dogra, addressing the crowd after the ceremony, said, “It was a good match. They played well and gave us a learning opportunity. The credit belongs to Rest of India for the challenge they posed.”

The innings was turned on its head by the aggressive knock of 135 from Smaran Ravichandran, whose ninth‑wicket partnership of 113 with Mukesh Chaudhary rescued Rest of India from a precarious position. Dogra highlighted the all‑round effort, noting the valuable contributions of both bowlers and batsmen.

Dogra also spoke about the positive changes in Jammu & Kashmir cricket, attributing recent advancements to former batsman and BCCI president Mithun Manhas, whose administrative oversight has strengthened the team’s framework.

Jammu & Kashmir will now focus on defending their Ranji Trophy title when they meet Madhya Pradesh on 11 October in Srinagar.