Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their title defense impressively by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets in the opening game of IPL 2026 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB chased down 202 runs in just 15.4 overs, with Virat Kohli scoring an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls and Devdutt Padikkal contributing a quick 61 off 26 balls.
Kohli’s fluent innings, including five fours and five sixes, marked his 64th IPL fifty, while Padikkal’s elegant stroke-play, comprising seven fours and four sixes, set the pace for RCB’s comfortable victory. Despite SRH’s competitive total of 201/9, RCB’s strong batting display led by Kohli, Padikkal, and Rajat Patidar ensured a dominant win with 26 balls to spare.
The match saw a strong start for RCB as Padikkal and Kohli took charge early on, with Padikkal’s aggressive hitting and Kohli’s calculated strokes setting the tone. RCB’s commanding performance in the powerplay, amassing 73 runs for the loss of just one wicket, laid the foundation for their successful chase against SRH’s bowling attack.
Veteran seamer Jaydev Unadkat’s early breakthrough for SRH was not enough to deter RCB’s momentum, as Padikkal and Kohli’s aggressive batting display, supported by Patidar’s quick cameo, guided RCB to a convincing victory.
