In the opening match of the IPL 2026, played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made a statement by winning by a score of six wickets against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), kicking off their title defense in style.

Due to smooth half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal, RCB easily chased down the target of 202, galloping home in only 15. 4 overs. In his first T20 match in ten months, Kohli remained undefeated, scoring 69 runs off 38 deliveries, including five boundaries and an equal number of sixes, to record his 64th IPL fifty and captivate the crowd at the Chinnaswamy.

Padikkal, however, set the tone for the chase to be completed with 26 balls left by delivering a superb 61 off 26 balls, replete with seven fours and four sixes, with his stylish timing and wristy stroke-play.

SRH‘s 201/9 was looking competitive at the midway point, but the way Kohli and Padikkal, along with captain Rajat Patidar’s 12-ball 31, decimated a weak bowling attack indicated that even 250 wouldn’t have been enough on the night.

Phil Salt was dismissed by veteran left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat with a length delivery that landed on the batter and bounced up to mid-of, where he avoided colliding with his teammate, giving Sunrisers Hyderabad an early breakthrough in his very first over.

Kohli began his innings with a cut over mid-off, while Padikkal got things rolling with a flick over deep square leg for six in the same over. Nevertheless, Padikkal persisted in his strong start, scoring 28 runs off 10 balls. As RCB scored 51 runs in only four overs, he greeted David Payne to the IPL with a six over cover-point before smashing him for a four and six.

After smashing Unadkat for six, Kohli quickly joined the attack, creating speed against Unadkat’s cutter and flat-batting him through cover. As Padikkal scored two further boundaries, RCB controlled the powerplay, scoring 73 runs for the loss of Salt.

Then, in typical fashion, Kohli smashed a length delivery from Eshan Malinga right over the bowler’s head, sending the Chinnaswamy stadium crowd into a frenzy. On 28, he was saved when Heinrich Klaasen misjudged a chance at long-on.

Before being caught out for 61 by Dubey at long-off, Padikkal kept up his attack, blitzing to a 21-ball half-century, his quickest in the IPL.

In the meanwhile, Kohli displayed his wrist strength by whipping the ball over square leg off Harshal Patel and blasting Dubey down the pitch for yet another maximum.

Rajat Patidar hit a sharp four through backward point and a six over long-on off Patel and Dubey to join the boundary-hitting celebration. As Malinga missed his lengths, Patidar had no trouble hitting him for a four and two sixes, and 22 runs came off the 12th over.

Despite the fact that Payne struck Patidar and Jitesh Sharma in successive balls, Kohli proceeded and reached his fifty in 33 balls before Tim David scored two quick boundaries. After that, Kohli finished off the chase in style by hitting a six, two fours, and an upper cut through third man to complete a resounding chase.

Brief Scores:
Sunrisers Hyderabad 201/9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 80, Aniket Verma 43; Jacob Duffy 3-22, Romario Shepherd 3-54)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 203/4 in 15.4 overs (Virat Kohli 69 not out, Devdutt Padikkal 61; David Payne 2-35, Jaydev Unadkat 1-29)