Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) picked from where they left last season as they thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets in the IPL 2026 season opener at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. RCB rode on Virat Kohli's 69, Devdutt Padikkal's 61 to chase down the 202-run target with 26 balls to spare as Ishan Kishan's 38-ball 80 went in vain in the end.
RCB down SRH by 6 wickets in IPL 2026 opener
In an exhibition of his chase master reputation, Kohli steered Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a dominant victory with a calculated, unbeaten 69. His performance was perfectly set up by Devdutt Padikkal, whose explosive 61 off just 26 balls effectively dismantled the Sunrisers' bowling rhythm during the powerplay. Kohli’s innings, which included five massive sixes and five boundaries, showed no signs of rust as he picked up exactly where he left off last season, anchoring the chase with surgical precision at his home ground.
SRH bowlers found it difficult to contain the onslaught on a batting-friendly Chinnaswamy track. David Payne was the most successful of the lot, finishing with two wickets, while Jaydev Unadkat and Harsh Dubey managed one apiece. Despite those breakthroughs, the consistency and power of the Bengaluru top order proved too much to handle, leaving the Hyderabad outfit to regroup before their next outing.
Ishan Kishan's blitzkrieg in vain
Earlier, Ishan Kishan, led from the front with a blistering half-century to help his side post a competitive 201 for nine in the IPL 2026 season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite a shaky start on a pitch that had been out of action for nearly ten months, Kishan’s aggressive 80 off 38 balls, featuring eight boundaries and five sixes—became the backbone of the innings. His 97-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen allowed SRH to recover after being pinned down early by a clinical opening spell from RCB’s Jacob Duffy.
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RCB skipper Rajat Patidar’s decision to bowl first proved wise as Duffy exploited the unknown nature of the track, using his height to extract uncomfortable bounce. Abhishek Sharma’s struggle against the short ball ended in a frustrated pull shot caught by Jitesh Sharma, while Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy also fell cheaply to similar deliveries. By the end of the powerplay, Hyderabad was reeling at 49 for three, but Kishan refused to be bogged down. He reached his fifty in just 27 deliveries, taking a particular liking to the bowling of Abhinandan Singh and Krunal Pandya, whom he dismantled with a series of trademark lofted hits and powerful strikes over the ropes.
Kishan’s march toward a potential century was eventually cut short at 80 by what is already being hailed as a contender for the catch of the season, a stunning, one-handed diving effort by Phil Salt at deep backward point. While Aniket Verma added a rapid 43 late in the innings after being dropped by Virat Kohli, the loss of Kishan significantly hampered SRH's momentum in the closing stages. The visitors managed only 59 runs in the final five overs.
RCB will next face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the same venue on April 5. Meanwhile, SRH will next lock horns with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 2.