IBTimes

Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma and Indian cricketer Smriti Mandhana were among the high-profile attendees at the opening match of the Indian Premier League 2026, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has confirmed that every MLA and MP will receive two tickets each for the IPL 2026 opener at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, resolving complaints over VIP ticket allocation. The match between RCB and SRH marks the start of the new season.

The acquiring consortium includes Aditya Birla Group, Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures, and Blackstone. Following regulatory approvals from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the Competition Commission of India, the consortium will take over operations of both the IPL and WPL teams.