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The Ranji Trophy, 1949-50 saw the participation of a new team that is the Orissa in the tournament, among the other 18 teams. There were a number of 19 teams took part in the tournament and the teams included the likes of Assam, Baroda, Bengal, Bihar, Bombay, CP & Berar, Delhi, Gujarat, Holkar, Hyderabad, Kathiawar, Madras, Maharashtra, Mysore, Orissa, Rajputana, Services, Southern Punjab and the Uttar Pradesh. The Services team was also among the less known teams in the tournament and all the participating teams were quite determined to show some good performances in front of the cricket enthusiasts. The tournament started with the match between Baroda and the champion of the previous year, Bombay at Baroda from 18-20 November, 1949. The Baroda team made an upset by beating the defending champions by an innings and 18 runs, in the very first match of the tournament.
The Delhi team failed to show a good performance in the previous edition of the Ranji Trophy and that is why, it was quite determined to do well in the Ranji Trophy, 1949-50. It started its journey in the tournament with a match against the Rajputana team at Delhi that was held from 02-05 December, 1949. Delhi played wonderfully in the match and clinched a big victory of 118 runs, against the Rajputana side. The next match saw a battle between the Baroda and Kathiawar teams at Baroda from 02-04 December, 1949, where the Baroda team continued its good form and won the match by an innings and 57 runs. The match between the teams of Gujarat and Maharashtra was held at Ahmedabad from 03-05 December, 1949 and the match saw the Gujarat team winning by 6 wickets.
It was a clash between the teams of Assam and Holkar in the next match of the Ranji Trophy, 1949-50 and the match was held at Jorhat from 06-07 December, 1949. The teams of Hyderabad and CP & Berar clashed with each other at Secunderabad from 09-12 December, 1949 and the Hyderabad team became successful to beat the CP & Berar team by 8 wickets in the match. The next match saw a clash between the teams of Bihar and the newcomer, Orissa at Jamshedpur from 10-12 December, 1949 and the Bihar team won the match comprehensively by 356 runs. The teams of Southern Punjab and Services played against each other in the next match of the tournament at Patiala from 11-13 December, 1949 and the match saw the Southern Punjab team winning by 6 wickets. The next match involved the teams like Madras and Mysore and the match was held at Madras from 24-27 December, 1949. The winner of the match was the Madras team and the margin was 3 wickets.
The Baroda and Gujarat teams met with each other at Baroda from 08-11 January, 1950 and the drawn match saw the Baroda team winning on the basis of its lead in the first innings. The Delhi team then played against the Southern Punjab team in the next match of the Ranji Trophy, 1949-50 at Delhi from 09-12 January, 1950. The match was won by the Delhi team, as it was having a lead in the first innings. The next match of the tournament was held between the teams of Madras and Hyderabad at Madras from 26-29 January, 1950 and the Madras team won the match comprehensively by 127 runs. The teams of Holkar and Bengal clashed with each other at Indore from 27-30 January, 1950, where the Holkar team beat the Bengal team by a good margin of 129 runs. Then the Bihar and Uttar Pradesh teams played against each other at Jamshedpur from 04-07 February, 1950 and the match saw the Bihar team winning the match convincingly by 47 runs.
The last match of the group level of the Ranji Trophy, 1949-50 saw the teams of Holkar and Bihar competing with each other at Indore from 26 February-01 March, 1950. The Holkar team with a margin of 5 wickets won the match. However, the first Semi-Final match was held before the last group match of the tournament and the teams of Madras and Baroda played against each other in the first Semi-Final. The match was held at Madras from 24-26 February, 1950 and the Baroda team won the match by an innings and 125 runs, keeping total control over the match. The Delhi and Holkar teams took part in the second Semi-Final of the Ranji Trophy, 1949-50 and the match was held at Delhi from 04-08 March, 1950. The drawn match saw the Holkar team winning on the basis of its lead in the first innings. Thus, the Final saw the two teams of Baroda and Holkar locking their horns together at Baroda from 17-20 March, 1950. It was a well competitive match between the two teams; however, the Baroda team eventually became successful to beat the Holkar team by 4 wickets and became the champion of the Ranji Trophy, 1949-50
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