The knock out level of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 that is well famous for being the premium domestic cricket tournament in India saw the participation of 10 teams. The BCCI allowed the top two teams from each and every zone to compete in the knock out matches of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 and they fought with each other very hard for winning the championship title. The teams included the likes of Maharashtra, Bombay, Bengal, Orissa, Hyderabad, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The teams played against each other in the Pre-Quarter-Finals, Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals and Final of the tournament. Though all the teams tried their best to win the coveted championship title, it was the Delhi team that eventually became successful to win the title.

The teams of Hyderabad and Bombay played against each other in the first Pre-Quarter-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 and the match was held at Secunderabad from 03-06 February, 1989. The Bombay team played very well in the match and clinched a victory of 6 wickets for earning the permission to get into the Quarter-Final stage of the tournament. The second Pre-Quarter-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 involved the teams like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The two teams played the match at Pune from 03-06 February, 1988 and it was won by the Maharashtra team with a very good margin of an innings and 262 runs. The Maharashtra team entered into the Quarter-Finals of the tournament by winning this match, as well.

The first Quarter-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 was played between the teams of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra and the match was held at Madras from 17-20 February, 1989. The Tamil Nadu team played very well in the match and beat the Maharashtra team by 39 runs for getting the permission of competing in the Semi-Finals of the tournament. The Bengal and Punjab teams played against each other in the second Quarter-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89. The match took place at Calcutta from 17-20 February, 1989 and the Bengal team won the match on the basis of its lead in the first innings of the match. The Bengal team also reached the Semi-Finals of the tournament, by winning this match. The teams of Bombay and Uttar Pradesh competed with each other in the third Quarter-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 and the match was held at Bombay from 17-20 February, 1989. The Bombay team entered into the Semi-Final stage of the tournament by winning this match with a wonderful margin of 224 runs. The fourth Quarter-Final match of the involved the teams of Delhi and Orissa and the two teams played the match at Delhi from 17-20 February, 1989. The Delhi team won the match by a huge margin of an innings and 215 runs and also reached the Semi-Finals of the tournament.

There was a tough competition among the teams in the Semi-Final stage of the tournament and the first Semi-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 was played between the teams of Bombay and Delhi. The match was organised at Bombay from 03-06 March, 1989 and the drawn match saw the Delhi team winning for having a lead in the first innings and also getting into the Final of the tournament. The second Semi-Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 saw the teams of Bengal and Tamil Nadu playing against each other at Calcutta from 03-06 March, 1989. Though the match remained drawn during the stipulated duration, the match officials declared the Bengal team as the winner of the match, as it had a lead in the first innings. The officials also allowed the Bengal team to enter into the Final of the tournament. Thus, the Final match of the Ranji Trophy, 1988-89 involved the teams like Delhi and Bengal and the BCCI organised the Final at Delhi from 22-28 March, 1989. The Delhi team dominated its opponents throughout the Final match and beat the Bengal team by an innings and 210 runs for winning the match and also clinching the championship title.