RCB vs SRH, HIGHLIGHTS IPL 2026: Duffy’s 3/22, Kohli’s 69 power Bengaluru to 6-wicket win in tournament opener

"Awesome, hell of a way to start the campaign. Great win. [Doing the Hazlewood role] I am just keeping the big fellow's seat warm. I just wanted to bowl the hard lengths, just keep the ball there. Even better that I got to walk off the field after seven overs. We talked about the lengths and stuff, what works here. Just build on what Josh did. [Learning from the T20 WC] I am sick of bowling to Abhishek for sure. Haven't seen such bounce in India before as we saw here. But that was the case today. [Four overs on the bounce] Just Rajat said you go and I happily obliged, When the ball is hard and new is the best time to bowl on this surface."

"It was good to get back out there. The last game I played was the final last year but I think the way I batted in the one-day series quite recently really helped me to stay in that same kind of momentum. I wasn't playing shots that I don't usually play so I knew as long as I have the rhythm and I've put enough work physically behind the scenes with my fitness, things should come together nicely and tonight was another chance to start strong and to build on this."

"[Plying one format] Well, you know, the kind of scheduling that we've had over the last 15 years and the amount of cricket I've played, for me there was always a risk of getting burnt out rather than being undercooked. So these breaks helped me immensely. I stay fresh, I stay excited. Whenever I come back to play, it's 120%. I'm not coming back, you know, underprepared. In fact, the extra rest helps me to mentally freshen up."

"And as long as you're physically fit and you're excited mentally, all those things come together nicely and then you're able to, you know, contribute for the team's cause and that's what you want to do as a player."

"You don't want to hold on to a spot. You want to keep performing and, you know, keep putting in the work for the team. [On Padikkal] Outstanding knock. I mean, right from the word go, I mean, I had plans of, you know, going aggressive in the powerplay, but when I saw him play, I was like, keep putting him back on strike and hit the odd boundary here and there."

"So, yeah, he completely took the game away from the opposition and I told him that one shot he hit off a slower ball over mid-on for six. At that time, I told him just keep going on. I mean, you're hitting the ball amazingly well and just keep pushing it and take the game away from the opposition. His head positions, his balance, absolutely world-class."

Virat Kohli puts the finishing touches on a commanding chase with a flurry of boundaries, showcasing both power and class to seal the game in style. Taking apart Harshal Patel with a six followed by three consecutive fours, Kohli ensures there are no late twists as RCB comfortably chase down 202 with more than four overs to spare, completing a dominant six-wicket victory.

RCB steady themselves after the brief wobble, opting for a low-risk approach against Jaydev Unadkat. Virat Kohli and Tim David rotate strike consistently, keeping the chase on track without taking unnecessary risks. With singles flowing and no further damage done, RCB regain control and continue to inch closer to the target.

They need 32 runs from 36 balls.

Rajat Patidar continues his commanding knock, capitalising on loose bowling from Eshan Malinga to keep RCB firmly on course. A boundary straight down the ground is followed by a towering six over long-on, as Patidar dominates the over. SRH’s struggles are compounded by multiple wides, gifting away extra runs and losing control. The partnership with Virat Kohli crosses the 50-run mark, further tightening RCB’s grip on the chase.

RCB- 162/2 after 16 overs. Virat Kohli- 46* off 28, Rajat Patidar- 31* off 11.

RCB continue to cruise in the chase with Virat Kohli leading the charge, dispatching Harshal Patel for a flat six that sends the crowd into a frenzy. Rajat Patidar complements him well with a crisp boundary through point, as the duo rotate strike efficiently and keep the scoreboard moving. With SRH struggling for answers, RCB remain firmly in control of the chase.

RCB- 126/2 after 10 overs. Kohli- 38* off 23, Patidar- 7* off 4.

Devdutt Padikkal continues his stellar knock, bringing up a fluent half-century with a beautifully timed loft over mid-off, capping off a dominant phase for RCB. While Virat Kohli survives a close LBW appeal and even a dropped chance by Klaasen, SRH’s missed opportunities begin to hurt. Extras add to their woes as RCB surge to 99/1 after eight overs, with both batters firmly in control of the chase.

RCB cap off a dominant Powerplay with Devdutt Padikkal continuing his fluent strokeplay, opening the over with a well-controlled sweep for four. Both he and Virat Kohli rotate strike smartly thereafter, ensuring no loss of momentum against Harsh Dubey. With boundaries earlier and controlled aggression throughout, RCB reach a commanding 76/1 after six overs, firmly on track in the chase with Padikkal leading the charge.

Devdutt Padikkal is taking the game away in style, showcasing both innovation and brute force against Payne. Mixing smart footwork with clean hitting, he smashes a couple of towering sixes and a powerful boundary through midwicket, using the crease brilliantly to unsettle the bowler. Kohli continues to rotate strike at the other end, but this phase firmly belongs to Padikkal, who is driving RCB’s early momentum with an aggressive, calculated assault.

RCB are 51/1 after 4 overs. Padikkal- 34* off 11, Kohli- 7* off 6.

A dramatic over for Jaydev Unadkat. He strikes early to remove Phil Salt, who miscues one in the air and is safely taken by Heinrich Klaasen despite a brief moment of confusion with Aniket Verma. RCB respond immediately through Devdutt Padikkal, who launches his very first ball for a six, setting the tone. Virat Kohli then gets going in style with a fluent boundary, ensuring the momentum isn’t lost despite the early wicket, as RCB keep the scoreboard ticking.

They are 21/1 after 2 overs.

Welcome back for the chase! The RCB openers are out in the middle and all set to begin their pursuit of a challenging 202-run target, with the spotlight now shifting to their explosive top order.

SRH manage to cross the 200-run mark right at the death, with Jaydev Unadkat lofting a fuller delivery from Bhuvneshwar Kumar towards long-off and comfortably picking up a couple, aided by a wayward throw from the deep. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, SRH finish on a competitive 201/9, thanks largely to their middle-order firepower and late resistance.

Aniket Verma is waging a lone battle for SRH with a fearless display of power-hitting, keeping the scoreboard ticking even as wickets tumble around him. He takes on Romario Shepherd with confidence, dispatching him for multiple sixes, including a towering 100m hit, and backs it up with a boundary to maintain momentum. Verma also shows innovation against Bhuvneshwar Kumar, ramping a slower ball for four and even surviving a dropped chance by Virat Kohli. However, the collapse continues at the other end, with Harsh Dubey and Harshal Patel falling in quick succession, leaving SRH heavily dependent on Verma’s late blitz.

Salil Arora’s brief but aggressive stay at the crease comes to an end as RCB strike again just when SRH were looking to build momentum. Suyash Sharma outfoxed the youngster with a dragged-down googly, tempting him into a big hit. Arora went for the slog but lost shape, sending it straight to Devdutt Padikkal at deep midwicket, who completed a comfortable catch. Salil Arora departs for 9.