India pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep shared nine wickets as Rest of India beat reigning Ranji Trophy champions Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs on the fourth day to win the 2026-27 Irani Cup in Srinagar on Sunday.Mukesh returned figures of 6/33 to claim his 11th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket and dismantle the Jammu and Kashmir batting line-up. Akash, playing his comeback game, supported his Bengal teammate with 3/25 as J&K, chasing 279, were bowled out for 111.The bowling effort completed a win that had been set up by Ravichandran Smaran, who scored 68 in the first innings and 135 in the second. Smaran helped Rest of India recover from difficult positions in both innings as they went on to win despite conceding a 41-run first-innings lead.Jammu and Kashmir needed only to hold on for a draw to lift the trophy because of their first-innings lead. They appeared to be on course for a favourable result after openers Shubham Khajuria and Qamran Iqbal put together 54 runs for the first wicket.Akash broke the partnership by trapping Iqbal lbw in front of the wicket. Mukesh then struck twice just before lunch, dismissing Shubham Pundir and captain Paras Dogra off successive deliveries in the 15th over.Dogra was bowled after the delivery moved away just enough to beat his defence and hit the middle stump.J&K went into lunch at 89/3 after 19 overs, with Khajuria on 36 and Abdul Samad on six.Khajuria was dismissed by Akash with the first ball after lunch, triggering a collapse. J&K lost their next six wickets for just 22 runs over the following nine overs.Mukesh finished with 6/33, while Akash took 3/25. Akash’s workload in the match, which included six wickets across 23.3 overs, will please the national management ahead of India’s upcoming tour of New Zealand, with the pacer now appearing to have recovered well enough to be considered for selection.Earlier, Rest of India, who resumed their second innings at 306/8, were bowled out for 319. Umar Nazir, Sunil Kumar and Sahil Lotra took three wickets each for J&K.Brief scores: Rest of India: 237 and 319 beat Jammu and Kashmir: 278 and 111 all out in 28.4 overs (Shubham Khajuria 36; Mukesh Kumar 6/33, Akash Deep 3/25) by 167 runs.
