The opening match of IPL 2026 produced an exciting contest as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The defending champions successfully chased a challenging target, starting their campaign on a confident note.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, after being asked to bat first, posted a competitive total of 201 for 9 in their 20 overs. Stand-in captain Ishan Kishan played an outstanding innings, scoring 80 runs off just 38 balls and holding the innings together. He received good support from Aniket Verma, who contributed 43 runs with aggressive stroke play. Despite the strong middle-order performance, SRH lost wickets at regular intervals, which prevented them from setting an even bigger total.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s bowling unit delivered a disciplined performance. Debutant Jacob Duffy impressed with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets and breaking key partnerships. His spell helped restrict Hyderabad’s scoring during important phases of the innings. The RCB bowlers executed their plans well in the death overs, keeping SRH just above the 200-run mark.
Chasing 202, Royal Challengers Bengaluru began aggressively. Although they lost an early wicket, Devdutt Padikkal counterattacked brilliantly, scoring 61 runs off only 26 balls. His explosive knock shifted the momentum in RCB’s favor. Virat Kohli then anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten 69 from 38 deliveries. The partnership between Padikkal and Kohli ensured the required run rate remained under control throughout the innings.
Rajat Patidar added valuable runs in the middle overs, maintaining the pressure on the SRH bowlers. Tim David provided the finishing touch with powerful hitting as RCB comfortably reached 203 for 4 in just 15.4 overs. The successful chase highlighted Bengaluru’s strong batting depth and intent.
Jacob Duffy was named Player of the Match for his impressive debut performance. With this convincing victory, Royal Challengers Bengaluru started IPL 2026 in style, while Sunrisers Hyderabad will look to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.
