Duffy magic! RCB debutant wrecks SRH top order in IPL opening clash

Bengaluru: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s debutant Jacob Duffy made an immediate impact, striking twice in a single over to leave Sunrisers Hyderabad reeling in the IPL 2026 opener at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.

The New Zealand pacer ripped through the top order in the powerplay, removing both Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head in the same over and finishing with three early wickets to put RCB firmly on top.

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As the time of writing of this article, SRH were 79/3 after nine overs, with stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan leading the recovery alongside Heinrich Klaasen. The duo stitched together a steady 50-run partnership, with Kishan closing in on a half-century.

Earlier, RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to bowl, handing debuts to uncapped pacer Abhinandan Singh and Duffy. SRH, led by Kishan, also introduced uncapped batter Salil Arora, known for his aggressive strokeplay.

The high-profile opener, however, was played under a sombre shadow. Players and match officials observed a minute’s silence before the start, while RCB cricketers wore black armbands in memory of the 11 fans who lost their lives in a stampede outside the stadium during the franchise’s maiden IPL title celebrations last year.

The tragic incident near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in June 2025 had occurred after massive crowds gathered to celebrate, leading to overcrowding and a deadly crush that left over 50 injured and 11 dead.

In a mark of respect, the BCCI had cancelled the IPL 2026 opening ceremony. The franchise also retired 11 seats at the venue, which will remain permanently unoccupied during matches.

A commemorative plaque was unveiled near the stadium’s inner entrance by Karnataka’s Home Minister and KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad ahead of the opener, while RCB players donned jerseys bearing the number 11 during warm-ups.