RCB Beat SRH by Six Wickets as Kohli Shines With Half-Century

The reigning champions of IPL, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets in the opening game on 28 March 2026.

Winning the toss at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28, captain Rajat Patidar chose to bowl first, and his bowlers, led by debutant Jacob Duffy, delivered immediately. RCB chased down SRH’s 201-run total with six wickets and 26 balls to spare, setting the tone for what they hope will be a second consecutive title campaign.

The win was built on two separate acts of brilliance. Duffy dismantled SRH’s top order in the powerplay, before Devdutt Padikkal and Kohli combined to make the chase look routine. It was the kind of all-round team performance that characterised RCB’s title-winning run in 2025.

Jacob Duffy’s Debut Destroys SRH’s Top Order

New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of 3/22 from 4 overs on his IPL debut. He dismissed Abhishek Sharma (7 off 8), Travis Head (11 off 9), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1 off 6), all in the powerplay, to reduce SRH to 29/3 inside 4.2 overs.

Duffy’s approach was direct: hit a hard length, attack the stumps, and let his bounce do the work. SRH’s aggressive top-order batters struggled to control their pull shots, and the New Zealander capitalised on those early-game uncertainties. He was eventually named Player of the Match, a debut to remember.

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Ishan Kishan’s 80 Keeps SRH Competitive

Stand-in captain Ishan Kishan answered the early collapse with a remarkable counterattack. Batting with the freedom that marked India’s T20 World Cup triumph, Kishan raced to 80 off 38 balls (8 fours, 5 sixes, SR: 210.52). He reached his fifty in just 27 balls and took apart RCB’s spinners and seamers alike.

Kishan’s innings finally ended in the 16th over via a stunning one-handed catch by Phil Salt at the boundary off debutant Abhinandan Singh. By then, however, he had rescued SRH from 29/3 and steered them towards a competitive total. Aniket Verma added further fireworks late, smashing 43 off 18 balls (4 sixes) before holing out in the penultimate over. SRH finished at 201/9.

Padikkal’s Explosive Fifty Sets Up Easy Chase

Devdutt Padikkal came in as RCB’s Impact Player substitute for Duffy and immediately took charge. In just 26 balls, he scored 61 runs (7 fours, 4 sixes, SR: 234.61), his fastest IPL fifty off 21 balls. By the time he was dismissed, caught by Klaasen off Harsh Dubey in the 8.4th over, RCB had 110 runs on the board, and the asking rate had tumbled comfortably below eight.

Padikkal’s innings changed the complexion of the chase entirely. Phil Salt had departed early, caught at mid-off off Unadkat for 8, but Padikkal’s association with Kohli yielded 101 runs off 45 balls for the second wicket, effectively ending the contest as a competition.

Kohli Anchors and Then Accelerates to an Unbeaten 69

Virat Kohli walked in at No. 2 and played a measured yet match-winning innings of 69 not out off 38 balls (5 fours, 5 sixes, SR: 181.57). After watching Padikkal attack from the other end, Kohli described post-match how he adjusted his approach, deciding to anchor while Padikkal tore into SRH’s attack, before switching gears once the target was within reach.

With RCB needing quick runs after losing three wickets in the middle overs, Kohli shifted into top gear, hitting 6, 4, 4, 4 off Harshal Patel in the 16th over to bring up the win. His half-century was his 64th in the IPL and came off just 33 balls. RCB reached 203/4 in the 15.4th over with 26 balls to spare.

RCB Bowling and Middle-Order Contributions

Alongside Duffy, Romario Shepherd contributed 3/54 from 4 overs, dismissing Klaasen, Aniket Verma, and Harsh Dubey. Bhuvneshwar Kumar took 1/31 from 4 overs while Abhinandan Singh, the other RCB debutant, claimed Ishan Kishan’s wicket but was expensive, conceding 38 from 3 overs. Krunal Pandya was the only wicketless bowler.

In the chase, RCB captain Rajat Patidar contributed a quick 31 off 12 balls (2 fours, 3 sixes, SR: 258.33) before being caught at mid-off, while Tim David chipped in with a 10-ball 16 to help close out the game alongside Kohli.

SRH Bowling Figures Tell the Full Story

SRH’s six-man bowling attack went for economy rates ranging from 9.50 (Nitish Kumar Reddy) to 17.50 (Eshan Malinga). David Payne, brought in as an Impact Sub, was the only bowler to take multiple wickets (2/35), removing Patidar and Jitesh Sharma in consecutive balls. Harshal Patel went wicketless from 2.4 overs at an economy of 14.62, a tough evening for a side without Pat Cummins.

Context: Absent Stars and Emotional Backdrop

Both sides were without key bowling resources. RCB were missing Josh Hazlewood (injury) and Nuwan Thushara (fitness), while SRH were without regular captain Pat Cummins, who is sidelined with a lumbar bone stress injury. Ishan Kishan led SRH in his place.

The match also carried emotional weight. RCB players wore black armbands in remembrance of the 11 lives lost in a stampede during last year‘s title celebrations in Bengaluru, a tragedy that still resonates with the club, its players, and its supporters at Chinnaswamy.

What’s Next

RCB’s next game is against Chennai Super Kings on April 5 at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (7:30 PM IST), followed by a trip to Guwahati to face Rajasthan Royals on April 10. 

SRH, meanwhile, face Lucknow Super Giants at home in Hyderabad on April 5 (3:30 PM IST) before taking on Punjab Kings in Mullanpur on April 11.

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