Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by 6 wickets in the IPL 2026 opener at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
RCB chased down a big target of 202 in just 15.4 overs, making it a dominant start to their campaign.
Match Review
The game began with RCB winning the toss and choosing to bowl. That decision worked early as debutant Jacob Duffy struck in the powerplay.
He removed three key batters and reduced SRH to 29/3, putting them under immediate pressure.
SRH then fought back through captain Ishan Kishan. He played a powerful knock of 80 off 38 balls and brought his team back into the contest.
With support from Heinrich Klaasen and a late push from Aniket Verma, SRH posted a strong total of 201/9.
RCB’s chase started with an early wicket, but that did not slow them down. Devdutt Padikkal played an attacking innings and shifted the momentum quickly.
After that, Virat Kohli took full control of the chase and ensured there were no major mistakes.
Kohli stayed unbeaten on 69 and finished the match in style. His aggressive shots in the 16th over sealed the game and ended SRH’s hopes.
RCB completed the chase comfortably with plenty of balls left.
What Decided the Match
RCB were better in all three areas. Duffy’s early wickets gave them control with the ball.
Phil Salt’s brilliant fielding, including a stunning catch to dismiss Kishan, stopped SRH from going beyond 200.
With the bat, RCB showed intent and calmness. Padikkal’s quick runs and Kohli’s steady finish made the chase look easy.
This all-round performance helped RCB secure a strong win in the first match of IPL 2026.