Ranji Trophy 2025-26: Former champions Mumbai and Karnataka will lock horns in the fourth quarter-final. (PTI Photo)
The Ranji Trophy 2025-26 league stage concluded on Sunday after seven rounds of action in the four Elite groups, with eight teams confirming their spots in the quarter-finals.
Defending champions Vidarbha suffered a shock exit in the group stages despite notching up 31 points and four outright victories. Even after securing six points with a win over Uttar Pradesh, last year’s winners were made to rue their defeat to Andhra in the previous round. Locked on 31 points with Andhra and Jharkhand, Vidarbha finished third on the count of fewer bonus-point wins, which is the first tie-breaker following points.
With a win over Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh finished on top of Group B while Karnataka pulled off a last-gasp entry with a stunning win over Punjab as the second team from the group, pipping Saurashtra. Led by Devdutt Padikkal’s unbeaten 120, Karnataka gunned down a 250-run target on the final day against Punjab in only 28 overs.
Bengal, which finished with a whopping 36 points, topped Group C with Uttarakhand securing qualification behind them. Record Ranji winners Mumbai and J&K qualified from the last Elite Group.
Ending their harrowing campaign with only one point, Nagaland were marked for relegation back to the Plate group next season with Bihar securing promotion after winning the lower-tier title this season.
Qualified Teams: Andhra, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Saurashtra, Bengal, Uttarakhand, Mumbai and J&K.
Quarterfinals schedule – February 6-10, 2026
Quarterfinal 1 – Jharkhand (31) vs Uttarakhand (29)
Quarterfinal 2 – Madhya Pradesh (28) vs J&K (24)
Quarterfinal 3 – Bengal (36) vs Andhra (31)
Quarterfinal 4 – Mumbai (33) vs Karnataka (27)
Semifinals schedule – February 15-19, 2025=6
Semifinal 1 – Winner QF1 v Winner QF4; Venue: TBD
Semifinal 2 – Winner QF2 v Winner QF3; Venue: TBD
Ranji Trophy Final – February 24-28, 2026
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