Mumbai: In what would be the biggest cricket match in Jammu & Kashmir since the 1980s, the Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar is gearing up to host the Irani Cup match in October this year between 2025-26 Ranji Trophy winners Jammu and Kashmir and the Rest of India from October 1 to 5.This will be the biggest cricket match to be held in Kashmir since the ODI between India and Australia on September 9, 1986. The venue has hosted two ODIs. In the first match there, India played the West Indies on October 13, 1983, with the visitors being declared the winners under the D/L system in a weather-affected game. In the second match, Australia defeated India by three wickets.From October 15-18 last year, the Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium hosted a key Ranji Trophy match between Mumbai and J&K. Left-arm spinning all-rounder Shams Mulani won the ‘Player of the Match’ award after scoring 91 in the first innings and taking seven for 46 in the second innings.“The Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium in Srinagar will host the Irani Cup match between J&K and RoI from Oct 1-5,” Jammu & Kashmir head coach Ajay Sharma told TOI.“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 tracking developments told TOI on Wednesday. Presently, the stadium’s seating capacity is 5,000 spectators.The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to officially confirm the venue for the Irani Cup 2026.Captained by 41-year-old batter Paras Dogra, Jammu & Kashmir will obviously bank on swing bowler Auqib Nabi Dar, who was recently picked for India’s two-Test tour of Sri Lanka. The 29-year-old fast bowler from Baramulla picked up 60 wickets at 12.56 in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy to finish as the leading wicket-taker.The Rest of India have won 30 Irani Cup titles so far, followed by Mumbai with 15 titles.After playing the Irani Cup tie, J&K will launch their Ranji Trophy title defence on October 11 against Madhya Pradesh. The defending champions are placed in Elite Group A in the 2026-27 Ranji Trophy, along with Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Baroda, Puducherry, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Goa.
