Bengaluru: Virat Kohli’s blistering 38-ball 69 not out and Devdutt Padikkal’s 61 off 26 balls helped defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) chase down 202 to defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by six wickets in the Indian Premier League 2026 opener here on Saturday.

Asked to bat first, SRH’s innings got off to a rocky start, losing three wickets for just 29 runs in the fifth over. Stand-in captain Ishan Kishan anchored the innings with a whirlwind 38-ball 80, while lower-order hitter Ankit Verma added a rapid 43 off 18 balls to push SRH to 201 for nine in their 20 overs.

RCB’s chase, however, was dominated by aggressive strokeplay from the top order. Padikkal’s 61, featuring eight boundaries and five sixes, set the foundation before Kohli took charge with his explosive innings, ensuring RCB completed the chase in just 15.4 overs. Rajat Patidar also chipped in with a quick 31 off 12 balls, keeping the run rate under control.

Debutant Jacob Duffy was the standout bowler for RCB, claiming three wickets for 22 runs in his four-over spell, putting early brakes on the SRH batting lineup.

The match also had its moments of drama in the field, including a rare drop by Kohli off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s bowling that allowed Ankit Verma to continue his rapid innings. In the stands, Kohli’s wife, actor Anushka Sharma, was seen laughing at the slip-up.

Despite the dropped catch, RCB’s superior batting depth ensured they never looked back, cruising to victory well ahead of the required overs.

Brief Scores:

Sunrisers Hyderabad: 201/9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 80, Ankit Verma 43; Jacob Duffy 3/22)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 203/4 in 15.4 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 61, Virat Kohli 69*, Rajat Patidar 31)

The win gives RCB an emphatic start to IPL 2026, while SRH will look to regroup after a strong yet ultimately insufficient batting performance.