RCB vs SRH: Kohli, Padikkal Crush SRH in IPL 2026 Opener
IPL 2026 opener RCB vs SRH saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru begin their title defence with a dominant six-wicket win, chasing down 202 with 26 balls to spare at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 69, while Devdutt Padikkal smashed a rapid 61 to power RCB to 203 for 4. Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 201 for 9, with Ishan Kishan leading the charge with 80.
Duffy’s dream debut sets the tone
Jacob Duffy starred on debut with a superb spell of 3 for 22 in four overs, dismantling SRH’s top order.
Bowling a consistent hard length, Duffy removed key batters including Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head, exploiting conditions where the ball occasionally held up on the surface.
Nitish Kumar Reddy also fell attempting to counter his disciplined approach, as RCB seized control early.
Despite the early setbacks, Ishan Kishan counterattacked with an aggressive innings, reaching a 27-ball fifty and finishing with 80 off 38 deliveries.
Kishan maintained his attacking intent throughout, taking on both pace and spin. He struck Abhinandan Singh for 30 runs off 13 balls and continued to dominate against Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma.
His innings was eventually ended by a stunning one-handed catch from Phil Salt near the boundary in the 16th over.
SRH post competitive total
Aniket Verma provided strong support with a quickfire 43 off 18 balls, hitting seven boundaries and showcasing both power and innovation.
He eventually fell in the penultimate over while attempting another big hit.
Despite contributions from Kishan and Aniket, RCB’s bowlers, including Romario Shepherd who took 3 for 54, ensured SRH were limited to 201 for 9.
Kohli and Padikkal seal comfortable chase
RCB lost Phil Salt early for eight, dismissed by Jaydev Unadkat, but the chase quickly turned in their favour through a dominant partnership between Padikkal and Kohli.
The pair added 101 runs in just 45 balls, effectively taking the game away from SRH and reducing the required rate significantly.
Padikkal was particularly aggressive, reaching his fastest IPL fifty off just 21 balls, striking three fours and three sixes in his first 11 deliveries.
Kohli adapted his approach, anchoring the innings after assessing Padikkal’s fluency. He reached his fifty off 33 balls and finished the match in style, striking a sequence of 6, 4, 4, 4 off Harshal Patel in the 16th over.
RCB chased down the target comfortably, leaving SRH’s bowling attack with economy rates ranging from 9.5 to 17.5.
What this result means
This emphatic win gives Royal Challengers Bengaluru a strong start to their title defence, highlighting their depth in both batting and bowling.
For Sunrisers Hyderabad, despite a strong individual performance from Ishan Kishan, the inability to control the middle overs and contain RCB’s chase will be a key concern moving forward.
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