King Kohli anchors RCB run chase, SRH bite the dust in IPL 2026 opener

An impactful powerplay, a consistent run rate and a comprehensive chase spearheaded by Virat Kohli -- the Royal Challengers Bengaluru played like deserving holders of the IPL crown and clinched the IPL 2026 opener at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium with a 6-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

RCB seemed to chase the 202-run target without breaking a sweat, with Devdutt Padikal and Rajat Patidar's explosive knocks supported by the ever-consistent chasemaster Kohli.

Earlier, SRH faltered in the powerplay but staged a strong recovery from an early collapse to post a competitive 201/9. But RCB were in to make a statement.

RCB were off to a rollicking start, with debutant and RCB speedster Jacob Duffy removing Hyderabad openers for cheap.

Sunrisers lost Abhishek Sharma in the first ball of the third over. The left-handed batter scored seven runs. On the last delivery, Duffy then removed Travis Head for just 11 runs as the visitors scored 23 runs.

Sunrisers lost their wicket when debutant Duffy dismissed all-rounder Nitish Reddy for just one run during the second ball of the fifth over. After the end of the sixth over, Hyderbad scored 49/3.

Stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan and wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen stabilised the ship for Hyderabad as they reached 70/3 in eight overs. Hyderabad reached a decent position after 10 overs, as they scored 87/3.

All-rounder Romario Shepherd broke the dangerous 97-run stand between Klaasen and Kishan after the wicketkeeper-batter departed for 31 runs during the first ball of the 14th over.

In the very next over, leg-spinner Suyash Sharma took the wicket of Salil Arora, who made nine runs as Sunrisers reached 142/5.

During the last ball of the 16th over, he took the much-needed wicket of Ishan Kishan, who departed after playing a fantastic knock of 80 runs off 38 deliveries, including eight fours and five sixes.

Hyderabad lost two more wickets after Shepherd dismissed Harsh Dubey for just three runs and Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped the wicket of Harshal Patel, who departed after scoring a two-ball duck. Hyderabad reached 175/8 after the end of the 18th over.

During the 19th over, Aniket Verma hammered two sixes and a four before Romario took revenge and removed Verma.

The right-handed batter played a blistering knock of 18-ball 43, including three fours and four maximums. Towards the end, Sunrisers crossed the 200-run mark as they finished at 201/9 in 20 overs.

For the defending champions, Jacob Duffy (3/22) and Romario Shepherd (3/54) scalped three wickets apiece. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/31), Abhinandan Singh (1/38), and Suyash Sharma (1/28) bagged one wicket apiece.

(With inputs from ANI)