RCB Vs SRH, IPL 2026 Opener: Virat Kohli Masterclass Takes Defending Champs To Rousing Win

Virat Kohli hit an unbeaten 38-ball 69 and Devdutt Padikkal a 61 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in the Indian Premier League 2026 opener in Bengaluru on Saturday (March 28, 2026). Asked to bat first, Sunrisers Hyderabad rallied to post 201 for nine as stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan led from the front with a 38-ball 80 after his side was reduced to 29 for three in the fifth over. Ankit Verma chipped in 43 off just 18 balls. In reply, defending champions RCB completed the chase in 15.4 overs. Devdutt Padikkal (61 off 26 balls), Kohli and Rajat Patidar (31 off 12 balls) were the chief contributors with the bat for RCB. Debutant Jacob Duffy was the best bowler for RCB, returning excellent figures of 3/22 in four overs.

Updated on: 28 March 2026 11:44 pm

Published at: 28 March 2026 7:14 pm

RCB won by 6 wickets with 26 balls remaining Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli, left, gestures to the fans as he walks out with teammate Tim David after winning the Indian Premier League cricket match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, March 28, 2026. () | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Flowers are placed on 11 seats kept at M Chinnaswamy Stadium as a tribute to eleven Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans who lost their lives in a stampede last year, as spectators wait for the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad to begin in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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IPL 2026: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

A signboard at M Chinnaswamy Stadium displays a tribute to 11 Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans who lost their lives in a stampede last year, as spectators wait for the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad to begin, in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

Eleven seats are kept at M Chinnaswamy Stadium as a tribute to 11 Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans who lost their lives in a stampede last year, as spectators wait for the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad to begin, in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Spectators observe a minute's silence to pay tribute to 11 Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans who lost their lives in a stampede last year, before the start of the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Players observe a minute's silence to pay tribute to 11 Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans who lost their lives in a stampede last year, before the start of the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru players form a huddle before the start of the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's Travis Head bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru players celebrate the wicket of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Abhishek Sharma during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain Ishan Kishan plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Duffy, center, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Travis Head during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Duffy sets his field as he prepares to bowl a delivery during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Abhinandan Singh, third left, celebrates with teammates after taking the catch to dismiss Sunrisers Hyderabad's Nitish Kumar Reddy during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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IPL 2026 Ishan Kishan celebrates his fifty runs

Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain Ishan Kishan celebrates his fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen, left, unhappy with the third umpire's decision for his wicket, has a word with the fourth umpire during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's Aniket Verma plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Abhinandan Singh celebrates the wicket of Sunrisers Hyderabad's captain Ishan Kishan, left, during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Phil Salt plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's Jaidev Unadkat celebrates the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Phil Salt during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Devdutt Padikkal plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Indian Premier League: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Devdutt Padikkal, right, is congratulated by batting partner Virat Kohli for playing a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India, Saturday, March 28, 2026. () | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Devdutt Padikkal, right, celebrates his fifty runs as batting partner Virat Kohli looks on during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Devdutt Padikkal, center, leaves the ground after losing his wicket during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's captain Rajat Patidar plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli, left, and batting partner Rajat Patidar chat during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Sunrisers Hyderabad's David Payne, center, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's captain Rajat Patidar during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli celebrates his fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Tim David bats during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, India. | Photo: AP/Aijaz Rahi

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