The Indian Premier League 2026 will begin this Saturday with a fierce clash between the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Although you would expect great pomp and show at the opening ceremony, it is not happening this year. The BCCI has decided to suspend the celebrations at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru to pay respect to the 11 people who lost their lives in last year’s stampede.
Fans across India are eagerly waiting to see Virat Kohli’s men start defending their title at home. Both teams are loaded with talent. RCB will rely on Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Jitesh Sharma to set the tone, while SRH will face Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, and Liam Livingstone. Given the short boundaries at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, fans can expect high-scoring excitement.
Date and Time
- Match Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026
- Start Time: 7:30 PM IST (6:00 PM Dubai Time)
- Launch: 7:00 PM IST (5:30 PM Dubai Time)
Hall
The match will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, RCB’s stronghold. The venue is known for its friendly playing field and small boundaries. It has produced a lot of high-scoring tournaments and hence, tomorrow’s opening could be very interesting.
Predicted XI
RCB: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Karn Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Will Jacks.
SRH: Ishan Kishan (C), Abhishek Sharma, Heinrich Klaasen, Nitish Reddy, Liam Livingstone, Rahul Tripathi, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umran Malik, Mayank Markande, Marco Jansen.
Weather report and pitch
The weather in Bengaluru is expected to be clear, with temperatures between 28°C–30°C. Dew can play a role in the second row, favoring the chasing side. The ground remains a batting paradise, so fans should brace themselves for a run fight.
Availability of Tickets
Tickets for the season opener sold out within minutes of their release on March 24. Currently, general public seating is marked as unavailable, making live streaming and TV broadcast the only way for many fans to experience the event.
How to live RCB vs SRH steam match
Fans can enjoy the RCB vs SRH IPL 2026 opener on television and online. Live TV will be available on the Star Sports Network, including Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 HD (English), and regional language channels such as Star Sports 1 Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada. Those who want to enjoy the match on their phones and tablets can listen to the JioHotstar app and website.
