IPL 2026 RCB vs SRH: Defending Champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) launched their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 title defence fashionably, dismissing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) with a commanding 6-wicket victory in the tournament opener at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy stadium on Saturday.
Chasing a daunting 202, RCB rode on authoritative knocks from Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal and skipper Rajat Patidar to seal the contest with 26 deliveries to spare, underlining their formidable batting depth.
[caption id="attachment_1885" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
RCB win against SRH in IPL 2026 opener[/caption]
Ishan Kishan anchors SRH’s recovery after early collapse
RCB skipper Patidar, opting to bowl first after winning the toss, saw immediate returns as debutant Jacob Duffy wreaked havoc in the powerplay. The pacer struck thrice, removing Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and a promoted Nitish Kumar Reddy to leave SRH reeling at 29/3.
Stand-in captain Ishan Kishan then steadied the innings with a counter-striking approach. Alongside Heinrich Klaasen, he stitched a 97-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Kishan, in scintillating touch, reached his half century in just 27 balls and continued to dominate the RCB attack. Klaasen contributed a brisk 31 of 22 before falling to Romario Shepherd. Despite regular wickets towards the end, SRH maintained momentum through Kishan’s explosive 80 off 38 balls and Ankit Verma’s late cameo of 43 from 18 deliveries, finishing on 201/9.
[caption id="attachment_1886" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
SRH's Ishan Kishan[/caption]
IPL 2026 RCB vs SRH: Padikkal, Kohli dismantle steep chase
RCB’s pursuit began on a cautious note as Phil Salt departed early, but what followed was a batting masterclass. Padikkal and Kohli combined to shift the momentum decisively, adding a rapid half-century stand. A destructive Padikkal raced to a 21-ball fifty and eventually scored a blistering 61 off 26 balls. Captain Patidar further tightened RCB’s grip with a fiery 31 off just 12 deliveries. Alongside Kohli, he ensured the required rate never became a concern, effectively putting the game beyond SRH’s reach.
Kohli finishes match in style
Kohli anchored the innings to perfection, bringing up his 64th IPL half-century and remaining unbeaten on 69 off 38 balls. His composed yet fluent knock ensured there were no late hiccups. Fittingly, Kohli sealed the victory in style with a flurry of boundaries, guiding RCB home comfortably and sending a strong early message to the rest of the league.
Also read: IPL 2026: CSK suffer early setback as Dhoni set to miss two weeks of tournament; here’s why