In the opening game of the 19th Indian Premier League (IPL), Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by a commanding six wickets to start the 2026 season.

Rajat Patidar’s team won the toss and chose to field, limiting the Sunrisers to 201/9 after 20 overs. In a masterful performance of hit-the-deck bowling, rookie Jacob Duffy amassed 3/22 in four overs. With wickets falling all around him, Ishan Kishan continued his impressive run of form by scoring 80 off just 38 balls. SRH surpassed the 200-run threshold thanks to a late cameo from Aniket Verma, who scored 43 off just 18 balls.

Devdutt Padikkal took the attack to the SRH bowlers as RCB responded with a superb start. In an outstanding batting performance, the southpaw was dismissed for 61 off just 26 balls. Following Padikkal’s wicket, captain Rajat Patidar continued the trend with a rapid 31 off just 12 balls. They made it home with an amazing 4.2 overs to spare thanks to Virat Kohli, who anchored the chase and remained undefeated at 69 off 38 balls.

Talking points

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1) Is Phil Salt’s catch real?

There was uncertainty around Phil Salt’s capture of Heinrich Klaasen. The England player did a good job of controlling the ball, but unclear replays raised questions over whether his torso made contact with the boundary cushion. Klaasen was spotted arguing angrily with the fourth umpire over the ruling made following the third umpire’s review.

2) Venkatesh Iyer is concerned about Devdutt Padikkal’s form.

Devdutt Padikkal seemed to have solidified his position at No. 3 with a scorching 61 off just 28 balls. RCB took the lead in the chase early on thanks to a stroke-filled innings from him. Venkatesh Iyer, a well-known hitter who was signed by the team for a hefty INR 7 crore at the mini-auction, does not look well.

3) Jacob Duffy makes up for Hazlewood’s absence

In a magnificent exhibition of hit-the-deck bowling during the powerplay, New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy, making his IPL debut, amassed impressive figures of 3/22 in his four overs. He damaged the SRH innings early on with the major wickets of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Abhishek Sharma, and Travis Head. He filled in as Josh Hazlewood’s backup and played a crucial role. After the star Australian fast returns, it’s unclear what the future holds for him.

What was said by whom?

Ishan Kishan, captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad

I think definitely the wicket played well after the first 3-4 overs. You know, we lost a few early wickets, and we have to take care of that maybe next time because, looking at the wicket in the second innings, it was pretty much easier to bat on and the ball was coming on quite well. So yeah, we’ll have to be a little smart with the shot selection next time. But yeah, we did well after losing track, which gives a lot of confidence to us.

You know, especially you have to give some credit to the batters as well, the way they batted, especially Virat Bhai while chasing. It’s very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he keeps on going, it’s hard to stop him. We’ll have to work a little hard. It’s the first game and these mistakes are acceptable for now. We’ll be a little more cautious with the bowling, areas where we need to execute, and we might be stronger from the next game.

I actually enjoyed it a lot, you know, enjoyed every moment of it. It’s IPL, so sometimes nerves are there. But we’ll get better with this as a team. What else can I say about the captaincy? If we win the games coming ahead, it will be much easier for us going ahead in the tournament.

Rajat Patidar Leads from the Front as RCB Captain

The way boys played and everybody chipped in was a positive sign. Duffy was playing his first match and the way he bowled was the turning point for us. Not a policy but we’re assessing the wicket and the wicket was good to bat. The way Virat Kohli and Padikkal played was a good base.

[Kohli] No words for him. Every time he goes in and when the team is chasing, he’s the number one batter and he was there at the end. It was a terrific catch by Phil Salt. I was surprised. But as we know he’s a terrific fielder. Was trying my best to create an impact in this match. Was a situation in which we could’ve finished it off quickly.

Jacob Duffy Player of the Match

Awesome. Have heard a lot of good things about Bangalore and RCB. Hell of a way to start the campaign. Just keeping the big fella’s [Hazlewood] seat warm. We have identified that the new ball does a little bit in Bangalore. We talk a lot about things and what works here. Slightly different wicket. Haven’t seen a wicket with that kind of bounce in the last couple of months here. While the ball’s hard and new here, it’s the best time to bowl.