Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 28.
RCB entered the competition as defending champions, having clinched the 2025 title with victory over Punjab Kings in the final. Their remarkable campaign last season was highlighted by winning all their away matches, a feat which demonstrated their adaptability to different conditions and was instrumental in their journey to the playoffs.
Heading into the new season, they will look to carry that momentum forward with key players like Virat Kohli, Krunal Pandya, Rajat Patidar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Tim David expected to play a key role as they aim to defend their crown and secure a second IPL title.
On the other hand, SRH are going into the clash with a slightly weaker bowling unit due to the absence of Pat Cummins. Led by Ishan Kishan, and supported by experienced players like Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Harshal Patel, SRH will be keen to make a strong start. The franchise had previously won the IPL trophy under David Warner in 2016 and finished runners-up in 2024, losing to Kolkata Knight Riders.
As the 19th edition of the tournament begins, both teams will be aiming to build momentum early, knowing that a strong start can lay the foundation for a successful campaign and a potential title race.
Here are the important upcoming achievements for the players of both the teams
Upcoming achievements of RCB players
- Virat Kohli: 9 sixes needed to reach 300 sixes in IPL
- Venkatesh Iyer: 32 runs needed to reach 1500 runs in IPL
- Jitesh Sharma: 9 runs needed to reach 1000 runs in IPL
- Krunal Pandya: 7 wickets needed to reach 100 wickets in IPL
- Bhuvaneshwar Kumar: Need 2 wickets to reach 200 wickets in IPL
Upcoming achievements of SRH players
- Ishan Kishan: 2 runs needed to reach 3000 runs in IPL
- Heinrich Clasen: 20 runs needed to reach 1500 runs in IPL
- Heinrich Clasen: Need 11 sixes to reach 100 sixes in IPL
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