Royal Challengers Bangalore Opened their account in the 2026 season with an impressive six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening match of the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League.
Winning the toss and fielding, Rajat Patidar's side restricted Sunrisers to 201/9 at the end of 20 overs. Debutant Jacob Duffy produced a brilliant display of hit-the-deck bowling, taking 3 for 22 in four overs. Ishan Kishan continued his excellent form and scored 80 runs in just 38 balls, while wickets were continuously falling around him. A late cameo from Aniket Verma, who scored 43 runs in just 18 balls, took SRH past the 200-run mark.
In reply, RCB got off to a great start, with Devdutt Padikkal attacking the SRH bowlers. Displaying a brilliant batting performance, the southpaw was out after scoring 61 runs in just 26 balls. Captain Rajat Patidar continued the momentum after Padikkal's wicket and played a quick inning of 31 runs in just 12 balls. Chasing the target, Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 69 off 38 balls as they sealed a spectacular win with 4.2 overs to spare.
talking points
1) Is Phil Salt's catch legal or not?
Phil Salt's catch of Heinrich Klaasen was full of uncertainty. While the England player did well to maintain control of the ball, inconclusive replays raised doubts over whether his torso had touched the boundary cushion. Klaasen was left fuming over the decision given after review by the third umpire, who was seen having a heated exchange with the fourth umpire.
2) Devdutt Padikkal's form, a matter of concern for Venkatesh Iyer
With a stormy innings of 61 runs in just 28 balls, Devdutt Padikkal It seems that he has confirmed his place at number 3. With his brilliant innings, RCB managed to chase the target right from the beginning. This does not bode well for high-profile batsman Venkatesh Iyer, who was signed by the franchise for a handsome fee of Rs 7 crore in the mini-auction.
3) Jacob Duffy compensates for Hazlewood's absence
New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy, who is making his IPL debut, displayed impressive hit-the-deck bowling in the powerplay, taking impressive figures of 3/22 in his four overs. With big wickets of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy, they disrupted SRH's innings early on. Coming in as backup to the absent Josh Hazlewood, he played a vital role. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the star Australian pacer once he returns.
who said what?
Ishan Kishan, Captain Sunrisers Hyderabad
I think after the first 3-4 overs the wicket was definitely playing well. You know, we lost some early wickets, and we probably have to take care of that next time because, looking at the wicket in the second innings, it was quite easy to bat on and the ball was coming quite well. So yes, we have to be a little smarter in shot selection next time. But yes, we performed well after losing the track, which gives us a lot of confidence. You know, especially you have to give some credit to the batsmen also, the way they batted, especially Virat bhai while chasing the target. It is very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if it continues to move forward, it is difficult to stop it. We will have to work a little harder. This is the first game and these mistakes are acceptable for now. We will be a little more cautious about bowling, the areas we need to perform, and we can come out stronger from the next game. I really enjoyed it a lot, you know, I enjoyed every moment of it. It is IPL, so there is nervousness sometimes. But as a team we will be better than this. What else can I say about captaincy? If we win the upcoming matches then it will be very easy for us to progress in the tournament.
Rajat Patidar, captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore
The way the boys played and everyone contributed was a positive sign. Duffy was playing his first match and the way he bowled was the turning point for us. There is no policy but we are assessing the wicket and the wicket was good for batting. The way Virat Kohli and Padikkal played was a good base. [Kohli] No words for that. Every time he goes in and when the team is chasing, he is the number one batsman and he is there at the end as well. This was a brilliant catch by Phil Salt. I was surprised. But as we know he is a brilliant fielder. Was trying his best to make an impact in this match. There was a situation in which we could have ended it quickly.
Jacob Duffy, Player of the Match
very nice. Heard a lot of good things about Bangalore and RCB. Unique way to start a campaign. just keep big friends [Hazlewood] Seat heated. We have recognized that the new ball works a bit in Bengaluru. We talk a lot about things and what works around here. Slightly different wicket. We have not seen such a bouncy wicket here in the last few months. Although the ball is hard and new here, this is the best time to bowl.
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