Bengaluru, March 29: In an exhilarating opening match of IPL 2026, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) showcased an outstanding performance, defeating the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Cricket Stadium on Saturday. This victory has etched RCB’s name in the annals of IPL history.
RCB has now become the fastest team to chase a target of over 200 runs in IPL history, achieving the daunting goal of 202 runs in just 15.4 overs. This remarkable feat broke the previous record held by the Rajasthan Royals, who chased down 210 runs against the Gujarat Titans in 15.5 overs during IPL 2025.
Virat Kohli was the star of the match, delivering a stellar performance with the bat. He scored a powerful 69 runs off just 38 balls, leading his team to victory. Kohli maintained an impressive strike rate of 181, hitting five fours and five sixes. He received excellent support from Devdutt Padikkal, who played a blistering innings of 61 runs off 26 balls at a strike rate of 234, including seven fours and four sixes. After the early dismissal of Phil Salt, Kohli and Padikkal formed a crucial partnership, adding 101 runs for the second wicket. Captain Rajat Patidar contributed with a quick 31 runs off 12 balls, while Tim David remained unbeaten with 16 runs.
Earlier, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a total of 201 runs, losing nine wickets in their 20 overs. Captain Ishan Kishan led the charge with a fiery 80 runs off 38 balls, while Aniket Verma added 43 runs off 18 balls. For RCB, Jacob Duffy, making his IPL debut, was impressive with the ball, taking three wickets for just 22 runs in four overs. Romario Shepherd also claimed three wickets, helping RCB secure a historic win.
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