There were a number of 6 teams that competed against each other under the North Zone in the Ranji Trophy, 1986-87 and all the teams were coming from the Northern region of India. All the teams were the regular participants in the tournament and they included the likes of Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Services. The teams gave their best efforts to claim the top spot in the zone with a view to secure a birth in the knock out level of the tournament. However, the Haryana and Delhi teams eventually became successful to do so from the zone, as they earned total of 75 and 73 points, respectively, at the end of the zonal level league matches.

The teams of Jammu & Kashmir and Haryana played against each other in the first of the North Zone league matches in the Ranji Trophy, 1986-87 and the two teams played the match at Srinagar from 16-18 August, 1986. The Haryana team earned 21 points from the match, by winning it with a margin of an innings and 47 runs and the Jammu & Kashmir team earned 4 points from the match, as well. The Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir team then played against each other in the next match of the zone and the match was held at Srinagar from 20-22 September, 1986. The winner of the match was the Punjab team with a margin of an innings and 60 runs to earn 23 points and the Jammu & Kashmir team also earned 2 points from the match. The Jammu & Kashmir team appeared in the next match of the zone also and this time, it played against the Delhi team at Srinagar from 03-05 October, 1986. The Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir teams earned 14 and 8 points, respectively from the drawn match.

The match between the teams of Services and Jammu & Kashmir was the fourth of the North Zone league matches in the Ranji Trophy, 1986-87 and the match took place at Srinagar form 07-09 October, 1986. The Jammu & Kashmir team earned 20 points from the match, by clinching a huge victory of 9 wickets and the Services team also earned 5 points, from the match. The next match of the zone involved the teams like Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir and the two teams played the match at Mandi from 15-17 November, 1986. The Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir teams earned 12 and 8 points, respectively from the drawn match. The Himachal Pradesh team then played against the Haryana team in the next match of the zone and the match was held at Mandi from 20-22 November, 1986. The Haryana team won the match with a margin of an innings and 191 runs and earned 24 points from the match. The Himachal Pradesh team earned 2 points from the match, as well.

The clash between the teams of Delhi and Himachal Pradesh took place in the seventh of the North Zone league matches in the Ranji Trophy, 1986-87 and the two teams played the match at Una from 25-27 November, 1986. The match remained drawn during the specified period of time and the match officials awarded the Delhi and Himachal Pradesh teams 14 and 6 points, respectively for the match. The Punjab team then clashed with the Himachal Pradesh team in the next match of the zone, which took place at Una from 29 November-01 December, 1986. The drawn match saw the Punjab team earning 12 points and Himachal Pradesh earning 5 points from it. The Himachal Pradesh team appeared in the next match of the zone also and this time, it played against the Services team at Una from 04-06 December, 1986. The Services team won the match with a margin of 266 runs for earning 22 points and the Himachal Pradesh team also earned 8 points from the match.

The Delhi and Services teams clashed with each other in the tenth of the North Zone league matches in the Ranji Trophy, 1986-87 and the match was held at Delhi from 13-15 December, 1986. The Delhi team earned 24 points from the match, by winning it with a margin of an innings and 78 runs and the Services team also earned 1 point from the match. The Delhi team featured in the next match of the zone also and this time, it played against the Haryana team at Rohtak from 18-20 December, 1986. The drawn match saw the Haryana team earning 14 points and Delhi earning 8 points from it. The match between the teams of Delhi and Punjab was the next match of the zone and it took place at Delhi from 22-24 December, 1986. The Delhi and Punjab teams earned 13 and 7 points, respectively from the drawn match.

The Services and Punjab teams locked their horns together in the next match of the zone and the match was held at Delhi from 26-28 December, 1986. The match was won by the Punjab team with a margin of an innings and 98 runs for earning 21 points and the Services team also earned 3 points from the match. The Services team appeared in the 14th of the North Zone league matches in the Ranji Trophy, 1986-87 also and this time, it played against the Haryana team at Delhi from 08-10 January, 1987. The Haryana and Services teams earned 11 and 8 points, respectively from the drawn match. The last match of the North Zone involved the teams like Haryana and Punjab and the two teams played the match at Patiala from 12-15 January, 1987. The drawn match saw the Haryana and Punjab teams earning 5 and 2 points, respectively from it.