BD NarayankarBengaluru, March 29 -- A contest defined by contrasting batting performances and decisive partnerships saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru begin their Indian Premier League 2026 campaign with a commanding six-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.
At the heart of the match were three standout performers who shaped its course at different stages - Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal for RCB, and Ishan Kishan for SRH - with their contrasting contributions ultimately determining the outcome of the high-scoring encounter.
Opting to bowl first, RCB were initially on the back foot as Hyderabad posted a formidable 201/9 in 20 overs. The visitors endured early setbacks with the dismissals of A...