The knock out level of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97 saw a tough competition between the top 6 teams from the Super League stage of the tournament. The teams that played against each other in the knock out matches in the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97 included the likes of Madhya Pradesh, Bengal, Maharashtra, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. The teams competed with each other in the Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final match of the tournament and all the teams tried their best to claim the coveted championship title. However, it was the Mumbai team that eventually became successful to win the championship title by beating the Delhi team in the Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97.

The first Quarter-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97 was played between the teams of Madhya Pradesh and Bengal and the two teams played the match at Indore from 17-21 March, 1997. Both the teams played very well in the match and as a result, the match was drawn during the stipulated duration. However, the match officials allowed the Madhya Pradesh team to enter into the Semi-Final stage of the tournament, as it was having a lead in the first innings of the match. The teams of Maharashtra and Hyderabad played against each other in the second Quarter-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97 and the match was held at Pune from 17-21 March, 1997. Playing very well in the match, the Maharashtra team clinched a victory of 7 wickets for getting into the Semi-Final stage of the tournament.

The Semi-Final stage of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97 started with the match between the teams of Madhya Pradesh and Mumbai and the match was the first Semi-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97. The two teams played the match at Indore from 27-31 March, 1997 and the drawn match saw the Mumbai team winning on the basis of its first innings lead to get into the Final of the tournament. The second Semi-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97 involved the teams like Maharashtra and Delhi and the match took place at Pune from 27-31 March, 1997. The match remained drawn during the specified period of time and the match officials declared the Delhi team as the winner, as it had a lead in the first innings of the match. Thus, the Delhi and Mumbai teams locked their horns together in the Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1996-97 and the two teams played the match at Gwalior from 05-09 April, 1997. None of the teams left any stones unturned to win the match and as a result, the match remained drawn during the specified period of time. However, the Mumbai team was eventually declared as the winner of the match and also the championship title, as it was having a lead in the first innings of the Final match.