The opening phase of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 season has witnessed an unusual development, with a Plate Group match ending without a ball being bowled. Arunachal Pradesh were scheduled to face Nagaland on October 11, but their absence resulted in a walkover victory for Nagaland.

In an unusual turn of events, Nagaland did not even travel to the venue to claim the win. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had already informed officials that Arunachal Pradesh would not be able to participate in the fixture. As a result, the Nagaland team decided to head to the airport rather than wait at the ground.

Nagaland Awarded Six Points After Walkover

The match was scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad, but Arunachal Pradesh could not field a team because of an ongoing dispute within the Arunachal Cricket Association (ACA). The association is divided into two factions, and the legal battle between them has prevented the selection of the state's Ranji Trophy squad for the 2026-27 season.

BCCI had reportedly informed the concerned officials in advance that the match would not go ahead. Although teams generally need to be present at the ground when a fixture is forfeited, Nagaland chose not to travel to the venue after receiving the information.

Nagaland were subsequently declared winners and awarded six points after Arunachal Pradesh forfeited the match.

Legal Dispute Leaves Arunachal Pradesh Cricket In Limbo

The ongoing dispute within the ACA has created uncertainty over the state's participation in domestic cricket. Speaking to Sportstar earlier, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia explained that the board could not proceed with cricket-related decisions, including team selection, because of the conflict between the two factions.

Cricket associations representing six districts of Arunachal Pradesh have alleged irregularities in the ACA elections and demanded that fresh elections be held. The matter is currently being heard by the Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court.

Until the dispute is resolved, Arunachal Pradesh's participation in the domestic season remains uncertain.

Arunachal Pradesh are scheduled to face Sikkim next week. However, if the legal proceedings do not lead to a timely resolution, their next fixture could also be affected.

The forfeiture is particularly significant because it is being reported as the first such instance in the Ranji Trophy in 17 years. In 2009, Services declined to travel to Srinagar because of security concerns, resulting in a walkover victory for Jammu and Kashmir.