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Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their IPL 2026 campaign with a statement six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad on competitive crickets return at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. Put into batting first on a two-paced pitch, SRH rode on captain Ishan Kishans sparkling 80 off 38 balls and a late blitz from Aniket Verma (43 off 18 balls) to post 201/9. Kishans fluent strokeplay, laced with eight fours and five sixes, and Anikets fearle

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) launched their title defence in style with a commanding six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2026 opening game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. Chasing 202, RCB made light work of the target, galloping home in just 15.4 overs, thanks to fluent half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. Kohli, playing a T20 game after ten months, remained unbeaten on 69 off 38 balls, laced wi

Kolkata Knight Riders: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are awaiting clearance from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) for pacer Matheesha Pathirana to join the squad, with assistant coach Shane Watson saying the franchise was hopeful of him arriving sooner rather than later. Pathirana was signed for an astonishing Rs 18 crore at the auction in Abu Dhabi last year and has been recovering from a left calf injury which cut short his time in the 2026 Mens T20 World Cup. With SLC yet to give Pathirana a clearance,

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Sunrisers Hyderabad rode on captain Ishan Kishans fluent 80 off 38 balls and a blazing late flourish from Aniket Verma (43 off just 18 balls) to post 201/9 in their 20 overs against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 opening game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. Asked to bat first on a two-paced pitch, SRH lost three wickets in power-play, but then a solid 97-run stand off 53 balls between an in-form Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen (

The Karnataka State Cricket Association: Players, officials and fans observed a minutes silence at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday ahead of the IPL 2026 season opener between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad, in memory of eleven supporters who died in a stampede during RCBs title celebrations last year. Both teams took the field wearing black armbands as a mark of respect, while RCB also warmed up in jerseys bearing the number 11. In a symbolic gestu

Indian Premier League: Five-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will start their campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against the three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. MI head into the 2026 season with a clear goal- to lift their sixth title in the tournament. The side will once again be captained by Hardik Pandya, who is leading the team for the third consecutive year and will be eager to deliver a successful campaign this time aro

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) left-handed opener Travis Head said he was focused on settling in and taking it one ball at a time as the IPL 2026 season gets underway when they take on defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. SRH are appearing in the IPL opening game for the second time after 2017, which also came against the same opponent. The 2016 winners will be keen to put up a better performance after finishing a

The Indian Premier League: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium saw fans return with excitement and relief, praising improved arrangements while soaking in the electric atmosphere. Supporters from across the globe, including India, Ireland, and the United States, gathered to cheer, hopeful of a great start to the season and confident of a smooth, enjoyable matchday experience. Saturdays game also marks t

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have handed debuts to pacers Abhinandan Singh and Jacob Duffy as captain Rajat Patidar elected to bowl first against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL 2026 opening clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday. Saturdays game also marks the return of competitive cricket to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium for the first time since May 17, 2025, especially after a stampede during RCBs title winning celebrations on June

Grand Prairie Cricket Stadium: Ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is all set to become the first Indian playing to feature in Major League Cricket (MLC) after signing with the San Francisco Unicorns for the 2026 season. Ashwin was a member of the Indian team winning the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. In all, he picked 765 international wickets from 287 matches across all three formats and remains the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test crickets history. The MLC has proven ov

Indian Premier League: Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene praised captain Hardik Pandya for his development in leadership skills ahead of the team's opening match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to be played at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. The first time I met Hardik was in 2017. Young, raw talent with a lot of energy, and that is something I have admired in Hardik. Even today, with that energy to play the game,

Sri Lankan Matheesha Pathirana: Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will launch their campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with a clash against three-time winner Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, hoping to add another title to their tally. Mumbai Indians, who jointly hold the record with Chennai Super Kings as the most successful team of IPL, won their fifth title five years back in 2020 and have struggled to impose themselves and reach the final since then. The

New Delhi: Amid growing speculation and criticism over his late arrival for IPL 2026, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has spoken out to clarify his circumstances and counter the false reports circulating in the media. Starc, who is contracted to play for Delhi Capitals, has been sidelined with an injury to his shoulder and elbow, an issue he only fully understood after the Australian summer. His absence from the teams early matches had fuelled rumours and harsh judgments from fans and the

Indian Premier League: Gujarat Titans wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler said the Indian Premier League (IPL), whose 19th edition starts from Saturday, has had the biggest influence on his cricketing career, adding that conversations he has had during his time in the tournament have served him well while representing England in all three formats. Buttler has played 121 matches and scored 4,120 runs at an average of 40, a strike rate of 149.38, including hitting seven hundreds and 24 fifties. He enj

New Zealand Test: England captain Ben Stokes has confirmed that his return to competitive cricket has been delayed until May due to complications from a cheekbone injury. The 34-year-old all-rounder, who was hit by a ball during a training session with Durhams academy players in early February, underwent surgery a week later to repair the fractured cheekbone. Stokes had originally intended to return during Durhams County Championship opening game against Kent this Friday. However, the club is st

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz: Pakistan fast bowler Naseem Shah is under scrutiny from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after a controversial social media post, since deleted, appeared to criticise Punjab (province of Pakistan) Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during the opening match of the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The post, which originated from Naseems official X account, quote-tweeted a PCB media update from the PSL opener between Quetta Gladiators and Hyderabad Kingsmen in Lahore. It read, Why

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has picked his strongest playing XI for the 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad ahead of their opening clash against the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. Sunrisers Hyderabad have been dealt a major blow ahead of IPL 2026 as their captain Pat Cummins is set to miss the opening matches. India's T20 World Cup 2026 champio

ODI World Cup: South Africa skipper Laura Wolvaardt remains optimistic, aiming to e a lot better in the upcoming three-match ODI series after her sides 1-4 loss to Amelia Kerr-led New Zealand in the T20I series. The three ODIs have significant importance for the teams qualification for the 2029 ODI World Cup. Ahead of the first ODI in Christchurch on Sunday, Wolvaardt expressed confidence in their preparations. Weve had some good reflections and a couple of good meetings. Obviously, we want to

The Indian Deaf Cricket Association: The 7th IDCA Women T-10 National Cricket Championship for Deaf 2026 wrapped up, with Andhra Pradesh Womens Team crowned as champions and Delhi Womens Team finishing as runners-up. In the final played on Friday, Andhra Pradesh Womens Team, batting first, scored 73/4 in 10 overs. Delhi Womens team put up a strong fight but fell short by five runs, ending their innings at 68/4 in 10 overs. The Championship trophy was later awarded by former Indian cricketer Gurs

Chennai Super Kings: Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has picked his strongest playing XI with Impact Player options for the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) after their stalwart MS Dhoni was subsequently ruled out for the first two weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, which will commence on Saturday. MS Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026, the franchise said in a statem

Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan: Bangladesh has cleared the way for the telecast of the Indian Premier League, with the newly appointed Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan confirming there are no restrictions on broadcasting the tournament in the country. In a significant policy shift, Swapan said the government does not intend to mix politics with sports and will instead evaluate the matter from a commercial perspective. He noted that broadcasters willing to air th

West Indies Women: Australia Women rode on a strong all-round batting effort and a disciplined bowling display to register a convincing 103-run victory over West Indies Women in the first ODI, taking a 1-0 lead in the series despite a fighting century from Stafanie Taylor. Opting to bat, Australia piled up a formidable 341 in 49.5 overs, built on key contributions across the order. Phoebe Litchfield anchored the innings with a fluent 77 off 72 balls, while Georgia Voll provided early impetus wit

Chennai Super Kings: Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni has sustained a calf strain and has been subsequently ruled out for the first two weeks of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the franchise said in a statement. The 19th edition of the tournament is set to begin on Saturday, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the curtain-raiser at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. CSK are set to play their campai

Ben Duckett is determined to show just how important playing for England is to him following a woeful Ashes campaign. England have insisted they are ready to adapt under coach Brendon McCullum, who remains in charge despite a 4-1 series loss in Australia marred by poor preparation and off-field incidents that led to questions about the team's professionalism. Opening batsman Duckett, who averaged 20.2 in Australia with a top score of just 42, was also filmed seemingly drunk during a controversia

Josh Tongue is looking forward to becoming the latest England paceman to benefit from the guidance of veteran fast-bowling coach Troy Cooley. Tongue was a rare shining light for England during a recent 4-1 Ashes series loss in Australia where he was omitted for the first two Tests but took 18 wickets in the last three. The 28-year-old quick is optimistic of improving his game still further under Cooley, the fast-bowling coach of England's 2005 Ashes-winning team. Cooley has also worked with the

Virat Kohli is hungry and at the peak of his powers, with his IPL team Royal Challengers Bengaluru set to start their title defence, coach Andy Flower said Friday. The 37-year-old and Bengaluru face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League season opener on Saturday. They ended their long wait for a maiden IPL title last season at the 18th attempt. Former captain Kohli, who has retired from Tests and T20 internationals, now represents India in just the 50-over format. Virat is in a really

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