The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off from March 28. So far, the schedule of only the first 20 matches has been released due to the state elections. The tournament-opening match is scheduled to be played between the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Ahead of the tournament, legendary Team India spinner Anil Kumble stated that it would be difficult for RCB to win back-to-back titles. "It's not going to be easy for Rajat Patidar's RCB to win back-to-back titles. Only CSK and MI have managed to win trophies on a continuous basis before," he said. He also heaped praise on Rajat Patidar, under whom the Bengaluru-based franchise scripted history by winning their first title in the cash-rich league. The former cricketer also said that the task will be challenging for the skipper as there will be high expectations. "I think Rajat Patidar has done well as captain in his first season. When he was announced as skipper, many of us were surprised because everyone expected Virat to handle the duties again. But the team management decided to go with Patidar, and it paid off. He only had experience of captaining Madhya Pradesh and did well in domestic cricket. He was identified as the skipper, and with the experience he had, he led really well," said Kumble. "Now it will be challenging because expectations will be high. But he looks very composed and calm under pressure. That is his USP. That should work for him," he added. IPL 2026: Update on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Earlier this month, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary, Santosh Menon, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of the RCB's IPL 2026 home games. The venue will also host one of the play-off matches and the title clash of the tournament. Bengaluru's remaining two home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended since June last year. Following RCB's triumph, fans gathered in huge numbers outside the stadium. During the celebrations, 11 people lost their lives, and several were left injured in a stampede. (With ANI Inputs)
12 March,2026 07:53 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off from March 28. The first match of the cash-rich league is scheduled to be played between the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Ahead of the IPL 2026, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan said that stalwart Virat Kohli will enter the tournament with the same passion that he displayed during the ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand. "We have seen that when he played for India, especially in the one-day series against South Africa and New Zealand. He looks like he wants to make an impact in every game. I think he will have the same kind of passion when he comes back this season. He will want to lift the trophy once again," he said. The former cricketer then spoke about Devdutt Padikkal, saying that he has improved and will play a major role in the success of the Bengaluru-based franchise in the upcoming edition. "Devdutt Padikkal is going to play a major role in RCB's success in IPL 2026. He has scored runs left, right and centre in domestic cricket across all formats. He looks like a very improved player. There was a time when he was struggling, wasn't getting his timing right. But that is in the past now. Devdutt Padikkal is a different, very confident player now," said Pathan. He then stated that RCB is a team full of match-winners and has bowlers Nuwan Thushara and Jacob Duffy, who can cover up if star pacer Josh Hazlewood faces fitness issues. "What I really like about RCB is that earlier they used to rely heavily on Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle to win matches. That has changed now. Their whole playing XI is full of match-winners. That is a fantastic thing. But going into IPL 2026, RCB will have some injury concerns, especially with Josh Hazlewood's fitness. The good thing is they have secured good backups. The duo of Nuwan Thushara and Jacob Duffy can cover well for Hazlewood if he faces fitness issues. That makes RCB even stronger," concluded the 41-year-old former cricketer. IPL 2026: Update on the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Earlier this month, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary, Santosh Menon, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of the RCB's IPL 2026 home games. The venue will also host one of the play-off matches and the title clash of the tournament. Bengaluru's remaining two home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended since June last year. Following RCB's triumph, fans gathered in huge numbers outside the stadium. During the celebrations, 11 people lost their lives, and several were left injured in a stampede. (With ANI Inputs)
12 March,2026 06:40 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is all set to kick off from March 28. So far, only the schedule of the first 20 matches has been announced due to state elections. Ahead of the cash-rich league, the former Team India cricketer Harbhajan Singh wants a new team to emerge victorious. He is also hopeful of witnessing "great matches", considering the strength of the older teams. "It's always exciting to see the IPL begin. I hope that this year, too, we'll get to witness the same enthusiasm, passion, and fun that the IPL brings. May a new team win. We wish for this every time, but since some of the older teams are very strong, we'll get to see some great matches," he said. Harbhajan, during his playing stint, represented three franchises: Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Mumbai Indians (MI). Having played a total of 163 IPL matches, he drew curtains on his career with 150 scalps. IPL 2026: Opening match's teams and venue The first match of the IPL 2026 is scheduled to be played between defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Earlier this month, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary, Santosh Menon, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of the RCB's IPL 2026 home games. The venue will also host one of the play-off matches and the title clash of the tournament. Bengaluru's remaining two home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended since June last year. Following RCB's triumph, fans gathered in huge numbers outside the stadium. During the celebrations, 11 people lost their lives, and several were left injured in a stampede. The stadium did not host any of the ICC Women's World Cup matches or the recently concluded Men's T20 World Cup 2026 games. Even the domestic and state franchise-based tournaments had been affected by this suspension placed on the iconic venue in Bengaluru. It will be interesting to see if the defending champions, RCB, manage to defend their title under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar. (With ANI Inputs)
12 March,2026 05:23 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentTeam India's Test and ODI skipper Shubman Gill is set to be named the "Cricketer of the Year" at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) annual awards to be held on March 15. Despite not being picked in India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, the right-handed batsman enjoyed a decent run in the other two formats. Shubman amassed 983 runs in Test matches, including the tally of 754 runs in the series against England in 2025, with an average of over 70. His ODI runs tally stood at 490, including 188 runs during India's title-winning Champions Trophy campaign. Overall, he garnered 1764 runs across all three formats of the game, with an average of 49, including seven tons and three half-centuries. His form in the shortest format of the game at the international level was not impressive, but he managed to score 650 runs for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). On the other hand, former Team India coach Rahul Dravid is set to be honoured with the Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. Under his coaching, the "Men in Blue" clinched the T20 World Cup title in 2024. Additionally, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is set to be named as the Best Association in the domestic circuit. IPL 2026: Opening match's date and venue The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off from March 28. So far, only the schedule of the first 20 matches has been released due to the state elections. The tournament-opening match is set to be played between defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Earlier this month, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary, Santosh Menon, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of the RCB's IPL 2026 home games. The venue will also host one of the play-off matches and the title clash of the tournament. Bengaluru's remaining two home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended since June last year. Following RCB's triumph, fans gathered in huge numbers outside the stadium. During the celebrations, 11 people lost their lives, and several were left injured in a stampede. (With PTI Inputs)
12 March,2026 04:41 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to kick off from March 28. So far, the schedule of only the first 20 matches has been announced due to the state elections. Ahead of the league, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is all set to lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) on March 30th at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. Ahead of the match, former Team India cricketer Irfan Pathan feels that Sanju Samson, who has been traded to CSK from RR, will have an important role to play. He said that the Kings will also seek the inside information from the Kerala-born cricketer. "Samson's presence will make a lot of difference for CSK because no one knows the Rajasthan Royals better than him. From that perspective, you will get inside information from Sanju about how that team plays, how they approach the powerplay, the middle overs, their mindset and even their bowling as well," he said. The former cricketer then said that Sanju will be a huge advantage for Chennai, considering the form and experience he has of playing in Guwahati. He expressed excitement to see how CSK's young players perform. "All the youngsters in Rajasthan Royals have played with and under Sanju, so he will be a huge advantage for CSK, not just in terms of the form he will carry from the T20 World Cup, but the experience of playing in Guwahati will also come in handy for him in the first game. I am very excited to see how CSK are going to fare this season because they have brought in some very exciting young players," said Pathan. Chennai Super Kings' Fixtures March 30 (Mon) Rajasthan Royals vs CSK, ACA Stadium, Guwahati, 7:30 pm April 03 (Fri) CSK vs Punjab Kings, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, 7:30 pm April 05 (Sun) RCB vs CSK, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 7:30 pm April 11 (Sat) CSK vs Delhi Capitals, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 7:30 pm Chennai Super Kings' squad for IPL 2026 Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Dewald Brevis, Ayush Mhatre, Kartik Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Urvil Patel, Anshul Kamboj, Jamie Overton, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Prashant Veer, Matthew William Short, Aman Khan, Zak Foulkes, Shivam Dube, Khaleel Ahmed, Noor Ahmad, Mukesh Choudhary, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hpsein, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar. (With ANI Inputs)
12 March,2026 04:16 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHardik Pandya could be in trouble for allegedly insulting the national flag during the T20 World Cup celebrations. An advocate has lodged a complaint with Pune Police seeking registration of an FIR against the Indian cricketer. A Shivaji Nagar police station officer confirmed on Wednesday that advocate Wajid Khan submitted the complaint application. Advocate Wajid Khan claimed that after India defeated New Zealand in the final on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Pandya and his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma, celebrated on the field by wrapping the tricolour around themselves. Speaking to ANI, Khan claimed that the act amounted to disrespecting the national flag. "You must have seen the T20 World Cup here. Hardik Pandya was dancing with his girlfriend in celebration of his victory. The national flag was tied to his back. According to Section 2 of the 1971 National Flag Act, we should respect the dignity of the national flag. However, Hardik Pandya was so lost in the celebration of his victory that he was lying with his girlfriend, wearing the national flag. I believe it is an insult to the national flag," Khan said in an interview with ANI "I have filed a complaint with the Shivaji Nagar police station. When I went to file the complaint, they told me the incident occurred there, not here. So I told them that the national flag is a symbol of the entire nation, and we can file a complaint with the Shivaji Nagar police. They have accepted my complaint and provided me with a copy. Let's see what happens next. I have filed the complaint," Advocate Khan added. #WATCH | Pune: Advocate Wajid Khan says, "You must have seen the T20 World Cup here. Hardik Pandya was dancing with his girlfriend in celebration of his victory. The national flag was tied to his back... According to Section 2 of the 1971 National Flag Act, we should respect the… pic.twitter.com/mHVHn336ql — ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2026 Hardik Pandya was seen celebrating the World Cup triumph with his girlfriend, Mahieka Sharma Mahieka Sharma, Hardik Pandya's girlfriend, joined him during the T20 World Cup celebrations. The couple was seen dancing together after India's win over New Zealand in Ahmedabad. Pandya was joined by Ishan Kishan and his rumoured girlfriend Aditi Hundia while celebrating on the pitch. Pandya and Kishan were wrapped in the tricolour and danced along to the songs with their girlfriends on the ground. VIDEO | Pune: After filing a case in Pune's Shivaji Nagar Police Station, advocate Wajid Khan says, "The whole matter is related to the disrespect of the country's national flag. Recently, India won the T20 World Cup. During the celebrations of this victory, Hardik Pandya was… pic.twitter.com/XqIx8NEzfS — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 12, 2026
12 March,2026 03:47 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to commence on March 28. The tournament-opening game will be played between defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. As the schedule for the first 20 matches of the IPL 2026 has been announced, here are all the Mumbai Indians' matches you need to know: Mumbai Indians (MI) will open their season by playing a clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 29th at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The "Paltan" will then lock horns with Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 4th at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Hardik Pandya-led MI will then clash against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 7th at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. The "Men in Blue and Gold" will return to Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai for the fixture against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 12th. Mumbai Indians Fixture March 29 (Sun) MI vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, 7.30 pm April 04 (Sat) Delhi Capitals vs MI, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, 3.30 pm April 07 (Tue) Rajasthan Royals vs MI, ACA Stadium, Guwahati, 7.30 pm April 12 (Sun) MI vs RCB, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, 7.30 pm In the previous edition, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched the title. They defeated the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Earlier this month, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary, Santosh Menon, confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of the RCB's IPL 2026 home games. The venue will also host one of the play-off matches and the title clash of the tournament. Bengaluru's remaining two home matches will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended since June last year. Following RCB's triumph, fans gathered in huge numbers outside the stadium. During the celebrations, 11 people lost their lives, and several were left injured in a stampede.
12 March,2026 01:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Indian Premier League 2026 is set to begin on March 28. 6-time Champions Chennai Super Kings will be one of the teams to look forward to during the season. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team will start their campaign against the Rajasthan Royals on March 30. CSK fixtures, venue and timings announcedCSK vs RR: CSK will kick start their tournament with a game against the Rajasthan Royals. The match is scheduled to take place in Guwahati at 7.30 pm on March 30. In recent seasons, RR have dominated against CSK, winning 4 of the last 5 matches. However, CSK still have a slight advantage in head-to-head matches, winning 16 matches against RR's 15.CSK vs PBKS: For their second match, CSK will return to their fortress MA Chidambaram Stadium, when they face the Punjab Kings on April 03. Punjab Kings were the runner-ups last season and have won 4 of the last 5 matches against CSK, including 2 wins out of 2 last season. Punjab Kings' recent good form against CSK has equalled their head-to-head at 16 wins each.CSK vs RCB: On Sunday, April 5, a blockbuster game awaits as CSK take on the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The 'Yellow Army' will travel a short distance to face their rivals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB has won 4 of the last 5 meetings against CSK, including a historic win at Chepauk that ended a 17-year drought at that venue. However, CSK still dominate the head-to-head with a 21-13 lead.CSK vs DC: CSK will face the Delhi Capitals in Chennai on April 11. CSK have won 3 of the last 5 matches against DC, but lost the last time they faced Delhi Capitals in Chennai. CSK lead the overall head-to-head 19-12.Read Also: Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 Full Schedule: MI Fixtures, Dates, Timings, Venues Chennai Super Kings Fixture March 30 (Mon) Rajasthan Royals vs CSK, ACA Stadium, Guwahati, 7:30 pm April 03 (Fri) CSK vs Punjab Kings, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, 7:30 pm April 05 (Sun) RCB vs CSK, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 7:30 pm April 11 (Sat) CSK vs Delhi Capitals, MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 7:30 pm
12 March,2026 01:25 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniThe Indian Premier League 2026 is set to begin on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru aiming to win back-to-back titles. RCB will kick off the tournament against the SRH in Bengaluru. RCB fixtures, venue and timings announcedRCB vs SRH: RCB will kick start their tournament and title defence against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The match is scheduled to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium at 7:30 PM on March 28. Lately, RCB has found success against SRH, winning 3 of the last 5 encounters. However, the overall head-to-head remains tight, with RCB leading slightly with 13 wins to SRH's 12.RCB vs CSK: On Sunday, April 5, a blockbuster game awaits as the defending champions take on the Chennai Super Kings. RCB will host their rivals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB has been dominant recently, winning 4 of the last 5 meetings against CSK, including a historic win at Chepauk last season. Despite this recent surge, CSK still lead the overall head-to-head 21-13.RCB vs RR: For their third match, RCB will travel to Guwahati to face the Rajasthan Royals on April 10. Rajasthan has been a tough opponent lately, winning 3 of the last 5 matches against RCB. However, the head-to-head record remains very competitive, with RCB holding a slight advantage of 15 wins compared to RR's 14.RCB vs MI: For their final match of the first phase, RCB will travel to Mumbai to face the Mumbai Indians on April 12. This clash of the titans is always a fan favourite; RCB has won 3 of the last 5 matches against MI. However, Mumbai still holds the historical advantage in their head-to-head record, winning 20 matches compared to RCB's 15.Read Also: Chennai Super Kings IPL 2026 Full Schedule: CSK Fixtures, Dates, Timings, Venues Royal Challengers Bengaluru Fixtures March 28 (Sat) RCB vs SRH, M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru, 7:30 PM April 05 (Sun) RCB vs CSK, M. Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru, 7:30 PM April 10 (Fri) RR vs RCB, ACA Stadium, Guwahati 7:30 PM April 12 (Sun) MI vs RCB, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
12 March,2026 01:24 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniThe first phase of IPL fixtures for the 2026 season was announced on March 11, with the tournament set to start on March 20 in Bengaluru. The full list of fixtures is yet to be announced, given the state elections across India. BCCI Vice-President, Rajeev Shukla has hinted at the final date for the announcement of the IPL fixtures.Rajeev Shukla said that the IPL will go ahead as planned and on schedule. He further added that the schedule for the remaining matches will be released after the Election Commission announces the dates for the states going to the election. "IPL will be held on schedule. We have released the schedule for 20 matches. The schedule for remaining matches will be released after the Election Commission announces the dates for states going to the election." Rajeev Shukla said. The announcement of the full list of IPL schedule is delayed due to elections in Kerala, West Bengal, Assam and Tamil Nadu.The IPL is set to start on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening fixture. RCB are the defending champions, having won their maiden title in IPL 2025, beating the Punjab Kings in the final. Read Also: Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 Full Schedule: MI Fixtures, Dates, Timings, Venues RCB to kick start the IPL 2026 on March 28 Royal Challenger Bengaluru will start the 19th season of the Indian Premier League against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The defending champions will be aiming for yet another successful campaign after winning the tournament for the first time ever in 2025.Another marquee clash is between the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders on the first Sunday of the tournament. Both teams are two of the most successful teams in IPL history, adding to the intrigue.Among other big matches is the RCB against CSK clash in Bengaluru, and the RCB against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. The defending champions will hope for inspiration from Virat Kohli as they look to defend their IPL crown. The second phase of IPL 2026 fixtures will be announced after the Election Commission announces the date of elections in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and Tamil Nadu.
12 March,2026 12:41 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniSanjay Manjrekar has brewed a fresh storm by claiming that India's T20 World Cup wins cannot be compared to their ODI WC wins under Kapil Dev in 1983 and MS Dhoni in 2011. The former Indian cricketer's comment came after India celebrated a historic World T20 final win in Ahmedabad.Manjrekar took to X to express his thoughts on India's T20 World Cup win. The cricket commentator declined to place any of the three T20 World Cup victories in the same breath as the ICC ODI World Cups."In time, we need to put these world titles given out every year in proper perspective. India’s T20 WC wins don’t come remotely close to their 50 overs WC wins of 1983 under Kapil Dev and 2011 under Dhoni in terms of its pure challenge & its sanctity," Manjrekar posted. In time we need to put these world titles given out every year in proper perspective. India’s T20 WC wins don’t come remotely close to their 50 overs WC wins of 1983 under Kapil Dev & 2011 under Dhoni in terms of its pure challenge & it’s sanctity. — Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) March 10, 2026 With the World T20 win, India moved closer to Australia's total of 10 ICC trophy wins. India is now at 8, with a record three T20 World Cup titles to their name. However, Australia have won six ODI World Cups, compared to India's two. How India won a record third T20 World Cup India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final of the T20 World Cup 2026. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team lost just once throughout the tournament, against South Africa in Super-8, on their way to the title. India faced the West Indies in a must-win match and came up trumps thanks to Sanju Samson's match-winning innings. This was followed by a high-scoring thriller against England at the Wankhede Stadium in the semi-final, where another Samson masterclass cemented India's place in the final against New Zealand. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson starred with the bat in the final before Bumrah delivered his magic as India secured back-to-back T20 World Cup wins.India broke various records en route to the title win. Team India became the first team to successfully defend their World T20 crown, having started the tournament as the defending champions. Also, they became the first host nation ever to win a T20 World Cup with their triumph in Ahmedabad in the final. Suryakumar Yadav joined the list of MS Dhoni, Kapil Dev, and Rohit Sharma as India's World Cup-winning captains.
12 March,2026 10:59 AM IST | Mumbai | Atharva UpasaniADVERTISEMENT
