The Indian Premier League 2026 kicks off with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium today.
The defending champions, RCB, will aim for a strong start, although the absence of main pacer Josh Hazlewood could be a concern as he is expected to miss the initial matches.
RCB have retained much of their core squad and added Venkatesh Iyer and New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy. The opening duo of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt will once again be crucial, with expectations of a strong start. Iyer is likely to bat at No. 3, followed by skipper Rajat Patidar, while Jitesh Sharma and Tim David add depth to the middle order.
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When and where to watch the IPL opener match?
The match will begin at 7:30 PM IST, with the toss scheduled for 7:00 PM. Fans can watch the game live on JioHotstar, which offers features like 4K streaming and multiple camera angles.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium, known for its batting-friendly pitch, is expected to produce a high-scoring contest.
Team updates and predicted XIs
SRH will be led by Ishan Kishan in the absence of Pat Cummins, who will miss the early phase. Both teams feature a mix of experienced and young players, making the opener an exciting contest.
With strong batting lineups and key absences on both sides, the IPL 2026 opener promises an engaging start to the season.
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RCB Predicted XI: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Duffy
SRH Predicted XI: H Klaasen, Ishan Kishan (C), A Verma, TM Head, Abhishek Sharma, K Nitish Kumar Reddy, LS Livingstone, HV Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, BA Carse, Shivam Mavi
