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RCB vs SRH Match 1, Cricket Tips :It is time for the cricket carnival to start in India. The IPL 2026 will kick off with a blockbuster contest between the defending champion and the 2016 winner. Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad will be taking on each other on Saturday. This contest will start at 7:30 PM IST at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB will aim to win their second consecutive title. They will miss Josh Hazlewood, who has joined the team but will not play. They h

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are all set to play the season opener of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. Ahead of the fixture, head coach Andy Flower said the team is approaching the new campaign with a fresh outlook despite entering the tournament as the defending champions. Of course, we are the holders from last year, but this is a brand new year, and

Indian Premier League: As the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season approaches, Sunrisers Hyderabad face the same dilemma that has plagued them for a long time an intimidating batting lineup that has been boosted by new players, backed by a weak bowling unit. They still have doubts about whether they will be able to cope with the fragility of their bowling. Strengths: There is little doubt that SRH have one of the most destructive batting lineups in the entire tournament. The opening pair of

Indian Premier League: Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will look for dominance as they enter the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with their core squad and some new faces. Several key players, including former captain Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya, are leading a settled squad and hope that experience will help them find their way back to having a winning formula through stability and some smart additions. Strengths: The MI's main advantage is that they have well-defined roles on a well-estab

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) return to IPL 2026 with a point to prove. At the centre of it all is Virat Kohli. After finally ending their title drought last season, RCB, led by Rajat Patidar, now faces the challenge of maintaining success under new conditions and higher expectations. Strengths: RCBs biggest advantage is continuity. Keeping the core of their title-winning squad ensures strong team chemistry and clear roles. Their batting lineu

Yudhvir Singh Charak: A new era begins for Rajasthan Royals as Riyan Parag takes over as captain and former India all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja joins the team. After a disappointing 2025 season, the inaugural champions are relying on a revamped squad and a youthful lineup to bounce back and end their long wait for a second IPL title. Strengths: RRs biggest strength is their fearless, high-tempo batting unit. The opening pair of Yashasvi Jaiswal and young talent Vaibhav Suryavanshi can provide expl

PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi: Though they are organised in neighbouring countries and in the same time frame, the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL) are worlds apart when it comes to their potential, revenues, popularity, and influence. But they were both dragged onto the same page in the last few days, with a couple of players switching their royalties from PSL teams to IPL franchises, preferring the bigger platform that is allowing late replacement players because som

Indian Premier League: Fresh off a runners-up finish in the 2025 edition, Punjab Kings head into Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with renewed belief and a strong Indian core. Under Shreyas Iyer's leadership, PBKS has a talented squad filled with versatile players. However, questions about balance and consistency could affect their title challenge. Strengths: Punjab Kings biggest strength is their depth and flexibility, especially among their all-rounders. With players like Marcus Stoinis, Azmat

In Punjab Kings: Punjab Kings batter Shashank Singh says the fearlessness and confidence shown by the franchise's youngsters is their most striking aspect going into IPL 2026, adding that their ability to stay free of overthinking sets them apart from more experienced players, including himself. In Punjab Kings having a runners-up finish in 2025, their uncapped batters shining bright made for a very compelling story. They collectively scored 1,519 runs - the most by uncapped players of any singl

Chennai Super Kings: Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has picked the strongest playing XI for the five time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is set to begin on March 28. CSK head into the new season after a disappointing 2025 campaign, where they finished at the bottom of the table, the worst result in the franchises history. Known for their consistency and strong performances over the years, the teams poor showing came as

BCCI Cricket Advisory Committee: For the first time, all ten IPL franchises will be led by Indian captains in the upcoming season starting on Saturday, and Jatin Paranjape, the former cricketer and national selector, feels that fact makes the tournament worth watching from a leadership perspective. This IPL feels quite significant from a leadership point of view. For the first time in a while, you have all teams being led by Indian captains, Ruturaj Gaikwad at CSK, Axar Patel at Delhi Capitals,

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Delhi Capitals pacer Auqib Nabi said encouraging words from the franchises coaching staff during pre-auction trials, particularly from head coach Hemang Badani, gave him the self-belief that an IPL call-up was within reach if he kept performing in domestic cricket. Nabi, who was picked for Rs 8.4 crore by DC in last years auction in Abu Dhabi after years of going unsold and having net bowling stints instead, had a sensational time in the 2025/25 domestic season - picking

Vijay Hazare Trophy: Gujarat Titans opener B Sai Sudharsan, who finished as the leading run-scorer of 2025 IPL, says stepping into a new identity and embracing responsibility was his biggest takeaway from a breakout campaign, adding that the franchises culture has also played a huge hand in his success in the ten-team competition. In IPL 2025, left-handed Sudharsan amassed 759 runs at an average of 54.2 and strike-rate of 156.17, which marked his best-ever season in four years of playing in the

Pakistan Super League: As the 2026 Pakistan Super League (PSL) opening match between the Lahore Qalandars and the Hyderabad Kingsmen unfolded at Gaddafi Stadium, all eyes briefly shifted from the players to the ball itself, which mysteriously began to take on a pink hue. It appeared when fielders were polishing the ball against their clothing to preserve its shine, it led to an unusual complication: the maroon pigment from the Hyderabad Kingsmens jerseys began transferring onto the white ball, t

SLC Secretary Bandula Dissanayake: Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on April 6, with a set of resolutions set to be tabled before members for approval, said a report. According to SLC Secretary Bandula Dissanayake, a few tweaks to the constitution will be up for discussion at the EGM. The headline item on the agenda will be the introduction of new playing conditions for SLC-conducted domestic tournaments. At present, promotion and relegation in the top two

Former Lucknow Super Giants: Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has lauded wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul for his consistency in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and termed him as the safest bank for any franchise. Rahul has proved to be the most consistent performer in the tournament's history. He has crossed the 500-run mark in 7 of the last eight IPL seasons. Rahul, who scored 539 runs for Delhi Capitals, is set to open the innings for the team in the upcoming season. KL Rahul is the safest ba

T20 World Cup: Australias seam-bowling all-rounder Nicola Carey is aiming to seal a place in the squad for the 2026 ICC Womens T20 World Cup, to be played in England from June 12 to July 5, after making a return to the national side on the ongoing tour of West Indies. Nicola played key roles in Australias triumphs at the 2020 T20 World Cup and 2022 ODI World Cup, before turning down a Cricket Australia (CA) contract due to lack of game time. Three years after that, Nicola was recalled during the

Aakash Chopra: Former India opener Aakash Chopra has backed Virat Kohli to be the standout performer in IPL 2026 ahead of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma, citing the right-handed batters fitness and consistency as decisive factors. Kohli played a pivotal role in RCB's title-winning campaign last year, scoring 657 runs at a strike rate of 144.71 and an average of 54.75, including eight fifties. The focus will be on Virat Kohli again because the guy is so fit. Yes, there are gaps between series and he f

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has picked his strongest playing XI of the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), which is set to be played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. RCB has not made significant changes to their squad ahead of the new season, but the additions of Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, and Jacob Bethell, along wi

Chennai Super Kings: Former India left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan believes Sanju Samson could be the natural successor to MS Dhonis role at Chennai Super Kings (CSK), adding that the wicketkeeper-batter is someone fans could identify and connect with. Dhoni has led CSK to five IPL titles, but has increasingly batted lower down the order in recent seasons. Samson, meanwhile, is coming off after being Player of the Tournament in India winning the 2026 Mens T20 World Cup. This will be Samsons first sea

Pakistan Super League: Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne was left baffled as the 2026 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) opening match between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen at Gaddafi Stadium saw the white ball gradually turned pink. The issue appeared to come from the routine cricketing practice of fielders polishing the ball against their clothing to preserve its shine. During the match, however, this standard procedure led to an unusual complication: the maroon pigment fro

Vaibhav Suryavanshi's parents told AFP how they made a practice pitch in their village in India's poorest state to spark the teenage cricket prodigy's stunning rise -- and now his younger brother hones his skills on it. Suryavanshi was the talk of world cricket after making history in the Indian Premier League last year aged just 14 in a dazzling debut season. The supremely talented left-handed batsman, who turned 15 on Friday, belted a six on the first ball he faced for Rajasthan Royals. Days l

There was a time in Indian cricket when fame did not come with comfortwhen even the biggest names traveled like ordinary passengers, often unnoticed, and sometimes, deliberately so. This is one such fascinating story from that erawhen not just one player, but an entire team tried to hide its identity during a train journey. This story is of the days when BCCI (and simultaneously most of State Cricket Associations) were not so rich and for BCCI tournaments, teams often used to travel by train (th

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) enter their fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season with a grand makeover a logo change, jersey colours and design refurbished, and support staff having fresh faces in Bharat Arun, Carl Crowe, and Tom Moody. Having reached the playoffs in each of their first two years before back-to-back seventh-place finishes, LSG responded with an aggressive off-season strategy -- trading in Mohammad Shami, acquiring Anrich Nortje at auction, and reinf

MCA President Ajinkya Naik: Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) President Ajinkya Naik said it was content to host matches in the city despite Wankhede Stadium not being allocated an IndiaAustralia Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in 2027. The BCCI had earlier announced that Nagpur, Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi, and Ahmedabad will host the five Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2027. It meant that Mumbais wait to host an India-Australia Test after 2004 continues. All matches are important -- whether i

Indian Premier League: Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill said his sides focus in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season will be on consistently posting big totals, as the 2022 champions look to clinch another title when the ten-team competition begins on March 28. At the end of the day, you have to score more runs than the other team. Whether its by four runs or 150200 runs, the goal is to win. We are not chasing the glory of scoring 300350 in a single match. We want to be a team

Emerging Off Spinners: Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has conducted a specialist camp for emerging off-spinners at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE), where the aim was to sharpen skills and share tactical insights with young players. IANS had reported on March 2 that Harbhajan would conduct a camp for off-spinners at the CoE after former India left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan led a fast-bowling camp for India A and U19 pacers earlier this month. One of India's greatest spinners, Harb

Karnataka State Cricket Association: The issue of tickets for Karnataka MLAs for IPL matches at Bengaluru's M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was raised in the Assembly on Thursday, with Speaker U.T. Khader urging the government to take up the matter with the authorities concerned. Khader said that MLAs are currently being issued only one ordinary ticket, reportedly due to concerns that legislators often pass on their tickets to others, leading to overcrowding and management issues in the VIP gallery. He p

For Lucknow Super Giants, the IPL 2026 is the season for redemption under Rishabh Pant. The costliest IPL franchise is yet to see any significant success in the IPL: lost in the Play-Offs in the first two seasons and then finished in the seventh position in the last two seasons. Naturally, in the new season, the focus is primarily on current captain Pant for his leadership as well as batting. He ended the last season with 118* off 61 balls against Gujarat Titans, but before that had scored only

India will host Australia in a high-profile five-Test series starting January next year to end the 2026/27 home season, the country's cricket board announced on Thursday. The season will culminate with the prestigious and much-anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy, featuring a five-match Test series against Australia, beginning on January 21, 2027, in Nagpur, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said. The contest will then move to Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad, the board said. India

Indian Premier League: Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill said he feels no pressure to prove himself in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, adding that his focus is on making his team win another title this year rather than chasing personal milestones. Gill, Indias captain in Tests and ODIs, was left out of the T20I team to make room for Sanju Samson in the top order. It proved to be a move that paid off really well as India claimed a record third Mens T20 World Cup title at t

County Championship Division One: India leg-spinner Rahul Chahar will return to Surrey for their final eight matches in the upcoming County Championship season, the club said on Thursday. Chahar, 26, made a stunning debut for Surrey last year, claiming 10 wickets in a victory over Hampshire, including second-innings figures of 8/51. They are also the best figures by a debutant bowler in the clubs history, breaking William Mudies 166-year-old record of figures of 7/61 in 1859. Chahar has represen

Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Thursday that a game between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals on April 13 will begin the second phase of the 2026 season. BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia said venues for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoffs will be announced later. Earlier, the BCCI announced the IPL 2026 schedule for the first 20 games due to elections in Assam, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. But once the Election Com

Indian Premier League: Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif believes that Rohit Sharma should remain on the field for the entire duration of a T20 match instead of being used as an Impact Player by the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Rohit, who tops the list of batters with most runs for MI in IPL history, was often used as an Impact Player in the last season, which, according to Kaif, was wrong as Hardik needed his help, especially during the second qualifier played

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders, with a new head coach in Abhishek Nayar, along with Shane Watson and Tim Southee joining in, are building up to Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with a curious look the batting riches look formidable on paper, yet their fast-bowling department looks a touch weak. The retirement of Andre Russell - the heartbeat of their middle-order and death-bowling plans - has created a void that the management has attempted to fill with the

The Indian Premier League: The Indian Premier League (IPL) has been pivotal in transforming modern franchise cricket, influencing not only India but also the international scene. Besides its commercial achievements, it serves as a significant platform for showcasing new talent, enhancing the reputation of domestic players, and making many of them well-known worldwide. Every season, a few high-profile players are absent due to injuries or dips in form. This year, too, many players have been ruled

Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: Gujarat Titans head into the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season carrying both the weight of high expectations and the fuel of unfinished business after bowing out of the competition in the Eliminator stage last year. Winners in their debut season in 2022 and runners-up in 2023, the franchise will pin its hopes for another title on big names led by Shubman Gill and a batting core that has some vulnerabilities. IANS takes a look at how GT are shaping up ahead of a cru

Indian Premier League: Sri Lanka fast bowler Nuwan Thushara is likely to miss out on the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) refused to give him a No Objection Certificate (NOC), following the implementation of a strict new fitness policy, a news report claimed on Thursday. Under the revised regulations, SLC has made it mandatory for players to meet newly introduced physical performance benchmarks before being cleared to participate in overseas franchise leagues, i

Chennai Super Kings: Following a significant squad overhaul and a strategic tilt toward youth, five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) enter IPL 2026 seeking to achieve their success just like the good old times after finishing at the bottom of the points table last season. The CSK team management moved swiftly to address the failings of 2025, overhauling the squad with a clear eye on both the present and the years beyond after years of wearing the Dads Army tag. The biggest statement of i

T20 World Cup: Englands young batter Jacob Bethell has expressed admiration for the passionate fan base of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), revealing that he could hear chants for the team even during a tense moment in the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal against India at the Wankhede Stadium. Bethell, who represents RCB, said the chants stood out during a quiet phase in the stadium when England were pushing hard in the chase. I definitely heard a few RCB chan

Indian Premier League: Banking on a mix of familiar players and fresh recruits, Delhi Capitals look stronger than ever to end their long wait for an Indian Premier League (IPL) title. Despite a strong start last year by winning their first four matches, DC faltered in the second half of the campaign and finished fifth to miss out on the playoffs for the fourth successive time. When the 2026 season gets underway on March 28, DC will be aiming to finally break their playoffs hoodoo and go all the

Indian Premier League: Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has picked his playing 12 for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is set to commence on March 28. LSG, which finished in seventh position last season, made a lot of changes to their squad ahead of IPL 2026. LSG improved their bowling, which was under attack in IPL 2025, by adding Mohammad Shami and Arjun Tendulkar through trade and purchasing Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje in the Auction. Despite reports c

The Karnataka State Cricket Association: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the schedule for senior mens international home matches for the 2026-27 season, which features an exciting, action-packed schedule with four visiting teams, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, and Australia, across multiple formats. The Men in Blue will play 22 international matches across 17 cities, giving fans nationwide the chance to see top-tier international cricket. Notably, the M Chinnasw

New Zealand Cricket Awards: New Zealand womens captain Amelia Kerr and mens fast bowler Jacob Duffy took the top honours at the 2026 New Zealand Cricket Awards on Thursday. While Amelia won an unprecedented fourth straight Debbie Hockley Medal, Duffy claimed the Sir Richard Hadlee Medal. Amelia led her side to a third straight Super Smash crown and topped New Zealands T20I run charts with 354 runs at an average of 70, also finishing second in wickets. She was also named Womens T20I Player of the

Barsapara Cricket Stadium: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the schedule for Indias (Senior Men) international home matches for the 2026-27 season, with the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru set to host international games for the first time since the October 2024 Test against New Zealand. Additionally, the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati will be hosting a Border-Gavaskar series Test for the first time. The upcoming home season features an exciting, action-pa

Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi: Since its inception in 2008, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has evolved into more than just a cricket tournament; it embodies the intersection of talent, ambition, and opportunity. The IPL trophy has an inscription on it in Sanskrit, Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi, which translates to where talent meets opportunity. The motto represents the tournament's purpose of providing a platform for talent to thrive. The tournament throws up new talents every season; IA

T20 World Cup: Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube said on Thursday that his train journey back home after winning the T20 World Cup 2026 with his family was exciting but also quite tough, as he had to take extra precautions to avoid being recognised. Dube had to take an unusual route to get back home from Ahmedabad after the historic win. Unlike most Indian cricketers who travel by chartered or private flights, he couldnt find any available flights from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, as they were fully booked

Lucknow Super Giants: Sanjiv Goenka, owner of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), dismissed rumours about Rishabh Pants captaincy following fake reports that suggested the wicketkeeper-batter was losing his leadership role at the franchise ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season and wished the 28-year-old luck for the tournament. The LSG captain faced intense scrutiny for his subpar performances during IPL 2025. There were high hopes for the left-handed player after he was bought for an imp

Major League Cricket: Australia captain Pat Cummins has acknowledged the growing strain between international commitments and franchise cricket, warning that the balance may become harder to sustain for future players, even as he remains determined to represent Australia across all formats for as long as possible. Several of Cummins long-time teammates, including Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis, have already stepped away from ODIs, while Mitchell Starc has given up T20Is in an eff

The IPL roars back into action on Saturday super-charged by India's home T20 World Cup triumph, but with sombre memories of the 11 fans who died in a stampede celebrating Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru's title last season. The richest league in cricket launches with RCB hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where June's title party turned to tragedy a day after Bengaluru's first IPL crown. Eleven supporters aged between 14 and 29 died outside the stadium in a cr