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T20 WC 2026: Sir Vivian Richards heaps praise on Team India after historic win

Team India emerged victorious in the final of the T20 World Cup 2026. They defeated New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Following the victory, legendary West Indies cricketer Sir Vivian Richards said that the "Men in Blue" have taken the game to a different level. He also added that the triumph is a great present to the Indian cricket fans, considering the love and passion they show for the sport. "India have taken the game, in my opinion, to a different level, more so in the limited overs, i.e. the ODIs, the T20s. It is a great present for the fans because of the love and the passion that they show for the game in itself. I just think the result would have been the right result because of that love and passion and the country that it is played in," he said. T20 World Cup 2026: Final summary Batting first in the final, the "Men in Blue" posted a mammoth total of 256 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan smashed half-centuries. Facing 46 balls, Samson scored 89 runs with the help of five boundaries and eight maximums. Abhishek also garnered 52 runs in 21 balls, including six boundaries and three maximums. Ishan smashed 54 runs off 25 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and four maximums. Later, burly all-rounder Shivam Dube also played a fiery cameo of an unbeaten 26 runs in just eight deliveries. Chasing a target of 256, New Zealand was bowled out for 159 runs in 19 overs. Team India's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah returned with figures of four for 15 in four overs. Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Abhishek also chipped in with one wicket each. This was the first time a team successfully defended their shortest-format world title. The "Men in Blue" also became the first team to clinch the title three times (2007, 2024, and 2026). India became the first team to win the T20 World Cup on home soil. Team India's wicketkeeper-batsman Samson was named as the "Player of the Tournament", and the side's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the "Player of the Match" for his heroics in the title clash. Samson scored 89 runs in 46 balls, with the help of five boundaries and eight maximums, whereas Bumrah returned with the figures of four wickets for 15 runs in four overs. (With PTI Inputs)

11 March,2026 09:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mumbai Indians' players celebrating a wicket during an IPL match (Pic: File Pic)

IPL 2026: Mumbai Indians will face THESE four teams in first phase of tournament

The 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. The full schedule of the cash-rich league will be revealed after the poll dates for the state elections are announced. 🚨 News 🚨Presenting the schedule for the first 20 matches of #TATAIPL 2026, to be played from March 28 to April 12, 2026 🗓️Full schedule will be announced once poll dates are announced for three states set to undergo State Assembly elections.More details ▶️… pic.twitter.com/8Iq492v8TE — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 11, 2026 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.

11 March,2026 08:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's players celebrate a wicket during the match (Pic: File Pic)

IPL 2026: First match of marquee event set to be played between THESE two teams

The first match of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be played between defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 ⏳@RCBTweets to take on @SunRisers in the season opener in Bengaluru ❤️🧡Catch the first phase of #TATAIPL 2026 schedule on @StarSportsIndia and @JioHotstar 🙌 pic.twitter.com/L98erPcmTw — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 11, 2026 After concluding the first match, the tournament will witness Mumbai Indians (MI) play their first game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 29 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. On March 30th, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will lock horns with Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium in Guwahati. Punjab Kings (PBKS) will clash against Gujarat Titans (GT) on March 31st at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will take on Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 1 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the match between KKR and SRH on April 2nd. CSK will then face PBKS on April 3rd at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk. Double-decker weekend The "Paltan" will then take on the Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on April 4th. On the same day, GT will host RR at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. On April 5th, SRH will clash against LSG at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. One of the famous rivalries in the history of the tournament, RCB vs CSK, will be played on the same date at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. PBKS will take on KKR in their backyard, Eden Gardens, on April 6th. Later, the Royals will clash against the Mumbaikars on April 7th at the Assam Cricket Association Stadium. GT will then lock horns with DC on April 8th in New Delhi. KKR is all set to face LSG on April 9th at the Eden Gardens. The battle of the Royals (RCB vs RR) will be played on April 10th in Guwahati. The Kings will then clash against the Sunrisers on April 11th in New Chandigarh, followed by the match between CSK and DC in Chennai. On April 12th, LSG will face GT at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The evening match on the same day will be played between arch-rivals, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. 🚨 News 🚨Presenting the schedule for the first 20 matches of #TATAIPL 2026, to be played from March 28 to April 12, 2026 🗓️Full schedule will be announced once poll dates are announced for three states set to undergo State Assembly elections.More details ▶️… pic.twitter.com/8Iq492v8TE — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 11, 2026

11 March,2026 08:28 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Abhishek Sharma (Pic: File Pic)

Abhishek Sharma retains top spot in ICC T20I batting rankings

Team India's swashbuckling batsman Abhishek Sharma has retained the top position in the latest ICC Men's T20I rankings, which were updated by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The latest ICC T20I rankings were updated after the "Men in Blue" clinched the shortest format world title. In the title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 against New Zealand, Team India emerged victorious by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. They won back-to-back titles and became the first team to win three Men's T20 World Cup titles in the tournament's history. Abhishek, who struggled to find himself among the runs in the entire tournament, played a crucial role in the final. He registered three consecutive ducks in the initial phase of the tournament. Later in the final, the left-handed batsman scored 52 runs off 21 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and three maximums. With this, the "Men in Blue" received a strong start to their innings against the "Black Caps". After registering a stunning half-century, the 25-year-old cricketer retained the top rankings with 875 rating points. His teammate Ishan Kishan is placed in the second spot. With 871 rating points, Kishan has moved two places up on the list. The left-handed batter Kishan earned a new career-high rating, while New Zealand's Tim Seifert (up four places to sixth) and England's Jacob Bethell (up 17 rungs to 16th) also improved to the best marks of their career following some dominant knocks during the T20 World Cup. T20 World Cup 2026: Final summary Batting first in the final, the "Men in Blue" posted a mammoth total of 256 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs. Sanju Samson, Abhishek, and Ishan smashed half-centuries. Facing 46 balls, Samson scored 89 runs with the help of five boundaries and eight maximums. Abhishek also garnered 52 runs in 21 balls, including six boundaries and three maximums. Ishan smashed 54 runs off 25 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and four maximums. Later, burly all-rounder Shivam Dube also played a fiery cameo of an unbeaten 26 runs in just eight deliveries. Chasing a target of 256, New Zealand was bowled out for 159 runs in 19 overs. Team India's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah returned with figures of four for 15 in four overs. Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Abhishek also chipped in with one wicket each. (With ANI Inputs)

11 March,2026 08:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Indian Premier League's trophy (Pic: File Pic)

IPL 2026: First phase of schedule to be announced on March 11

The upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin from March 28. The schedule of the entire tournament will be announced in two phases due to elections in various states. Earlier, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia had told ANI that the schedule for the first 20 days of the IPL 2026 will be announced soon. "We will announce the first 20-day schedule of IPL in 2 or 3 days after considering the election dates in a few states and will announce the rest of the tournament schedule later," he said. 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. 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. It will be interesting to see if the defending champions, RCB, manage to defend their title under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar. Ahead of the tournament, Jacob Bethell, Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Dewald Brevis, and Ramandeep Singh are the top names to watch out for from the season. With these players, all cricketers will enter the cash-rich league after the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2026. The "Men in Blue" successfully managed to defend their shortest format world title by defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final of the marquee event.

11 March,2026 04:34 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Kuldeep Yadav with his fiancee, Vanshika (Pic: Instagram/kuldeep_18)

Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav set to tie the knot on THIS date: Report

After celebrating Team India's historic T20 World Cup 2026 triumph, star spinner Kuldeep Yadav is all set to begin a new chapter in his life. According to reports, he is all set to marry his fiancée, Vanshika, on March 14, and the venue for the wedding is expected to be in Mussoorie. Earlier, according to reports, Kuldeep and Vanshika got engaged in June last year in a private ceremony in Lucknow, which was attended by only close family members. The news about their wedding comes shortly after Team India's dominance in the recently concluded global showpiece. The "Men in Blue" defeated New Zealand by 96 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Reflecting on the victory, the spinner expressed happiness and stated that when you participate in an ICC event, the aim is always to win the title. "It is an important victory. The tournament went very well for us, and we have been preparing for this for a long time. This is what you play cricket for. Every time you participate in an ICC tournament, you want to win the trophy. I congratulate the team and also thank the fans for supporting us," he said. Kuldeep also gave special mention to fellow teammate Sanju Samson and said that he is happy that the Kerala-born cricketer is reaping his rewards for his hard work. "I am very happy for Sanju Samson, who performed exceptionally well. I have shared my cricketing journey with him since the Under-12s, and I am very happy to see him reap the rewards of his hard work over the years," said the 31-year-old cricketer. T20 World Cup 2026: Final summary Batting first in the final, the "Men in Blue" posted a mammoth total of 256 runs for the loss of five wickets in 20 overs. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan smashed half-centuries. Facing 46 balls, Samson scored 89 runs with the help of five boundaries and eight maximums. Abhishek also garnered 52 runs in 21 balls, including six boundaries and three maximums. Ishan smashed 54 runs off 25 deliveries, laced with four boundaries and four maximums. Later, burly all-rounder Shivam Dube also played a fiery cameo of an unbeaten 26 runs in just eight deliveries. Chasing a target of 256, New Zealand was bowled out for 159 runs in 19 overs. Team India's lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah returned with figures of four for 15 in four overs. Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Abhishek also chipped in with one wicket each. (With ANI Inputs)

11 March,2026 03:50 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Shivam Dube with his wife (Pic: BCCI)

Shivam Dube reveals story of his train journey from Ahmedabad to Mumbai after WC

In the early hours of Monday, when most of India was celebrating a historic T20 World Cup win, one of the stars of the Indian team was hiding on the top berth of an AC 3-tier coach on the Ahmedabad–Mumbai Sayaji Express. Shivam Dube, his wife Anjum and a friend were looking for ways to get back to Mumbai in the aftermath of the World Cup win. However, with all the flights booked, Dube decided to use the train to get back home to his children. Speaking to the Indian Express, Dube said there were no flights available for him to leave from Ahmedabad, so he decided to go by train.“There were no flights available, so I decided to take a train early in the morning from Ahmedabad to Mumbai. We could have gone by road, but the train was faster.”Dube said. The all-rounder admitted that he was scared of being recognised in public in a packed train, but used a disguise to go through the night. Dube covered himself with a mask, full-sleeved-tshirt and a cap before hiding away on the top berth of the train, “Me, my wife and a friend decided to take the train. Third AC tickets were available, so we booked them. Everyone we spoke to was worried: family, friends. What if someone recognised me at the station or inside the train?” Dube added. Even the ticket checker in the compartment was left puzzled to see Shivam Dube's name in the ticket list and asked Dube's wife if he was the cricketer, to which she quickly said no. “‘Shivam Dube? Woh kaun hai, cricketer?’ the TC asked. Anjum responded: “No, no. Woh kahan se aayega?” (Where would he come from?)  Dube managed to sleep through the night before the police came and helped him move from Borivali station to his home in broad daylight. Shivam Dube was one of the Indian stars at the T20 World Cup Final Shivam Dube had a night to remember in Ahmedabad at the T20 World Cup final. The Indian star all-rounder scored 24 runs in the last over to put India in a commanding position during the first innings of the match. During the tournament, Dube was India's fourth-highest run-scorer and scored a half-century during the tournament.

11 March,2026 03:42 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva Upasani
Kirti Azad and Gautam Gambhir (Pic: X and File)

Kirti Azad controversy: Why Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh hit back

In the wake of India's historic T20 World Cup triumph, a debate has emerged involving 1983 World Cup winner Kirti Azad and former Indian players Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh. Azad's tweet about the Indian coach and captains' temple visit with the trophy turned into a heated exchange with current and former Indian players. What did Kirti Azad say that sparked the controversy? Shortly after India's historic World Cup win, skipper Suyakumar Yadav, coach Gautam Gambhir and ICC Chairman Jay Shah visited a Hanuman temple with the trophy to seek blessings. This gesture did not go down well with Kirti Azad, who took to X to post his displeasure. Kirti Azad, now a Member of Parliament, voiced his disapproval, stating that the World Cup trophy belongs to 1.4 billion Indians of every faith. He further hinted at the 1983 World Cup-winning squad as a model of religious diversity. "SHAME ON TEAM INDIA! When we won the World Cup under Kapil Dev in 1983, we had Hindu Muslim Sikh and Christian in the team. We brought the trophy to our religious birth place our motherland India Bharat Hindustan. Why The Hell Is The Indian Cricket Trophy is being Dragged. Why NOT a Mosque? Why NOT a Church? Why NOT a Gurudwara? This Team Represents INDIA — not Surya Kumar Yadav's or Jay Shah's Family ! Siraj never paraded it at a Mosque. Sanju never took it to a Church. latter had a major part to play and was man of the tournament. The Trophy Belongs to 1.4 BILLION Indians of EVERY Faith — NOT ONE RELIGION'S VICTORY LAP!" Kirti Azad tweeted. Kirti Azad's tweet has gathered more than 3.7 million views on X. The former Indian off-spinner and current TMC member has since been in the thick of things, as Indian coach Gautam Gambhir and former Indian World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh have hit back with strong replies to his tweet. How did Gautam Gambhir, Ishan Kisan and Harbhajan Singh enter the controversy? "Stop degrading your own team and players," Gautam Gambhir, the current Indian coach, responded to Kirti Azad without holding back. Initially, Gambhir claimed that the remarks were not worth answering, but later said that such comments were degrading the team and the player. "It is not even worth answering this question. Answering that question is a big moment for the entire country. Today, if you are giving such a statement, you're literally degrading your players and degrading your own team, which should not be done," Gautam Gambhir said. Gambhir was supported by his former teammate Harbhajan Singh, who was far from pleased at Azad's comments. Singh slammed Azad for his comments, hinting at a political angle about his tweet.  It is absurd that he (Kirti Azad) is trying to play politics with this. The Indian team can take the trophy to a temple, a mosque, a church, wherever they want to. If they have asked something from their God and have revisited their faith after their wish was fulfilled, what's the problem with that? It is unfortunate to hear these things from fellow cricketers. Maybe they prefer politics over the sport." Harbhajan Singh said. Recently, Ishan Kishan, part of the World Cup-winning squad, was also asked about his opinion on the controversy, but he refused to indulge in it by asking for 'better questions' from the reporters. With the controversy gaining more pace with each passing day and elections around the corner, there are sure to be more reactions to Kirti Azad's comments in the coming days. Who is Kirti Azad? Kirti Azad is a former Indian World Cup winner in 1983. The off-spinner was part of the Kapil Dev-led team that won India's maiden World Cup title. Azad's international career was short-lived as he played 7 Tests and 25 ODIs for India between 1980 and 1986. However, he was a stalwart in domestic cricket, scoring 4867 runs and taking 162 wickets in 95 Ranji Trophy matches for Delhi. After he retired from cricket, Azad joined politics initially with the BJP, before moving to Congress in 2019. Azad joined Trinamool Congress (TMC) after meeting TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Delhi on 23 November 2021.

11 March,2026 03:24 PM IST | Mumbai | Atharva Upasani
MS Dhoni (Pic: File pic)

CSK CEO confirms the availability of former captain MS Dhoni ahead of IPL 2026

Veteran wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni is expected to play every game in the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), according to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) CEO Kasi Viswanathan. However, he added that the team management will ultimately decide on his playing position. The 19th edition of the IPL will begin on March 28, and the franchises have already started their training camps for the mega event. Players participating in the T20 World Cup will join the teams shortly before the start of the tournament. MS Dhoni is set to play yet another campaign of IPL at the age of 44. There were some doubts about the participation of the former Indian captain, but the CSK CEO has clarified that the fan-favourite will play all the matches. "He will play all the matches, according to me." CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said. When asked about MS Dhoni's role in the team after the signing of Sanju Samson, Viswanathan said that the team management will take that call. Samson joined CSK after leaving the Rajasthan Royals. "That I cannot say. The cricket staff will make that decision. Not by the administrative personnel. They will therefore determine whether he will play as an impact player, a batsman, or a wicketkeeper-batter." Kasi Viswanathan added. IPL schedule to be announced in the next couple of days The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia said that the schedule for the first 20 days of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL) will be announced within the next two to three days, considering the election dates in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. In an interview with the ANI, Devajit Saikia said, "We will announce the first 20-day schedule of IPL in 2 or 3 days after considering the election dates in a few states and will announce the rest of the tournament schedule later". The IPL 2026 is set to kick off from March 28, the official broadcaster Star Sports confirmed on Sunday. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be the defending champions, having won their maiden IPL title last year. (With IANS Input)

11 March,2026 02:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Devendra Fadnavis with Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube (Pic: CMO)

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis felicitates T20 WC winners

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis felicitated Indian T20 World Cup-winning team members Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube on Tuesday. The official CMO page posted pictures of CM Fadnavis felicitating the two Indian World Cup stars at his residence. Fadnavis congratulated the two cricketers and lauded their role in bringing glory to the country. India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the T20 World Cup final in Ahmedabad to secure a historic title win. Team India became the first team to successfully defend their title, as well as the first team to win a T20 WC at home. Captain Suryakumar Yadav joined the elite list of Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to win a World Cup trophy for India. Suryakumar was India's third-highest run scorer at the World Cup, behind Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan. The skipper scored 242 runs at an average of 30.25 in nine matches, including one half-century. All-rounder Shivam Dube was one of the underrated performers in the Indian team. The southpaw scored crucial runs at the end of the innings and amassed a total of 235 runs in nine matches at the strike-rate of 169. BCCI announce record breaking prize money for the victorious Indian team On March 10, BCCI announced a record cash prize of Rs 131 Crore for the Indian T20 World Cup-winning team and staff. The Suryakumar Yadav-led team will receive the highest-ever prize money for their historic triumph. "The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a cash reward of INR 131 crore for Team India following their triumphant campaign in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026. The Board congratulates the players, support staff and selectors once again on this historic achievement and wishes them continued success in the future," the BCCI statement said. This is the highest reward ever announced, surpassing Rs 125 Crore given by the board to Rohit Sharma and his team for winning the 2024 T20 World Cup and Rs 58 Crore for the ICC Champions Trophy-winning team of 2025. The Indian Women's World Cup-winning team were presented with a reward of Rs 51 Crore.(With input from ANI)

11 March,2026 01:07 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Virat Kohli (Pic; Instagram)

Virat Kohli shares a video giving a peek into his IPL 2026 preparations

Indian star Virat Kohli has started getting ready for the Indian Premier League 2026 season. Videos of the former captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) working out in the nets have gone viral on social media. Kohli posted a reel on Instagram where the 37-year-old was seen working hard during a practice session, concentrating on batting as he prepares for the IPL season. Fans flooded the comments section in anticipation of the 19th edition of IPL.  Virat Kohli is an all-time IPL great, having scored 8661 runs in 267 matches and 259 innings in IPL history. The former Indian skipper has a strike rate of 132.85 and an average of 39.54, along with eight centuries and 63 half-centuries in the competition. The seasoned batsman scored 657 runs at an average of 54.75 in 15 games during the 2025 season, helping Bengaluru win their first IPL championship. With a strong strike rate of 144.71, Kohli amassed eight half-centuries. On March 8, broadcaster Star Sports confirmed that the upcoming season of the IPL will officially kick off on March 28; however, the IPL fixtures are yet to be announced. RCB will be the defending champions after their maiden title win in 2025. RCB set to play five games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium  Santosh Menon, the secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), said earlier this month that five of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 home games will take place at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Additionally, he announced that one of the tournament's play-off games and the IPL 2026 final will be held at the location.  RCB's two home matches will be held at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Since June of last year, cricket at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been suspended due to a stampede that resulted in 11 fatalities and multiple injuries during RCB's IPL 2025 title celebration. The stadium did not hold any matches at the recently finished ICC T20 World Cup and the ICC Women's World Cup. This suspension of the iconic venue has also impacted domestic and state franchise-based competitions.(With ANI inputs)

11 March,2026 01:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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