Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad 1st T20 Match – Result, Scorecard

Welcome back for RCB's batting reply. Ishan Kishan leads his men out onto the park. It will be the dynamic opening pair of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli to open for the home side. Interesting choice from Kishan to start with Nitish Kumar Reddy. Salt will face the first ball. A slip in place. Here we go!

… THE RUN CHASE …

Looking ahead – RCB will feel they could have bowled better to Aniket Verma, but they won't be too hard on themselves. Jacob Duffy was the star of the show on his IPL debut, returning impressive figures of 3 for 22 from his four overs, while his new ball partner Bhuvneshwar Kumar also played his part. The ball has come on nicely to the bat, and they will back themselves to gun down the total. Back in a bit for the chase.

A quick word – Aniket Verma says that it is a good wicket and he is happy that they managed to score over 200 and hopefully can defend it as well. On his dismissal, he says that he was trying to take a single on the last ball, but got a bit too much of the bat and it carried to the fielder. Verma mentions that the new ball was swinging a bit and skidding through as well, and hopes that the bowlers can use it to their advantage. Ends by saying that he tried the reverse lap due to the field, also thinking Shepherd would bowl a wide yorker.

Kishan and Verma led the fightback – The 97-run stand was ended by a contentious catch from Phil Salt, with Klaasen walking off unhappily. From there, RCB chipped away at the wickets. However, Aniket Verma shone for SRH to ensure the wheels did not come off completely. With his ball-striking, he helped his side inch close to 200, and who knows, had he stayed till the end, 210 might well have been breached.

A tug of war for control – End of a rollercoaster of an innings, one that ebbed and flowed, with both teams trading blows. Sunrisers Hyderabad go past the psychological mark of 200 and will be happy with what they have ended up with. After opting to bowl first, it was Royal Challengers Bengaluru who landed the first blow in this bout, with Jacob Duffy making use of his height and the short ball to good effect. Reduced to 29/3, Ishan Kishan came up with the counter-punch and found company in the form of Heinrich Klaasen.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Jaydev Unadkat, The 200-run mark has been breached! Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls this full and on off, Jaydev Unadkat drills it towards sweeper cover and turns around for the second run. The throw from the deep is a wild one and the batters easily complete the double. Sunrisers Hyderabad finish on 201/9.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Jaydev Unadkat, Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets the yorker right, on middle, Jaydev Unadkat can only dig it out back to the bowler.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Jaydev Unadkat, Full again and on off, Jaydev Unadkat drives it firmly and wide of long off. The fielder is quick to run to his right and makes a sliding stop. Two more added to the total.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Payne, Leg bye! Very full, angled into the pads. Payne is beaten on the flick. A leg bye is taken as the ball dribbles towards cover.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Payne, Two more! Leg-cutter, on a short of a length. Payne waits on it and lofts it over cover. Krunal Pandya gets to the ball and fires in a throw at the bowling end but Jaydev Unadkat is in by then.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Payne, Fuller and around off, David Payne slices it off the toe-end of the bat wide of deep point for a brace.

Time for the final over. Jaydev Unadkat is the last man for SRH, but it will be David Payne on strike at the start of the over. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to bowl. 3-0-23-1 so far for Bhuvi. Can Hyderabad reach 200?

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, OUT! CAUGHT! A soft dismissal and Aniket Verma is gutted with himself. This is pitched up and outside off, slower again. Verma looks to loft it over cover, but does not go through the shot fully and ends up hitting it much straighter and into the hands of Virat Kohli at long off, who takes an easy catch.

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, Fuller delivery, pace on and outside off. Aniket Verma steps across, changes his stance and goes for the reverse lap but misses. The umpire gives it a wide, but Rajat Patidar has taken the review to challenge the decision. The replay shows that the ball is well within the revised wide guideline, as the batter has also moved across and it is a fair ball. The on-field call is overturned.

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, SIX! Sensational batting from Aniket Verma! Romario Shepherd misses his yorker and serves this right in the slot again, on middle. Aniket, in the form he is in, is never going to miss out on that and dispatches it cleanly over the bowler's head for half a dozen more.

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, FOUR! A hit-me ball and gladly accepted! Short of a length and well outside off, again, no pace on the ball. Aniket Verma knows that third man is up in the circle and slashes hard at it. Gets a thick outside edge that flies over that fielder for a boundary.

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, SIX! This is exactly why he needs to play most of the ball from here. Romario Shepherd delivers an off-cutter, on a length and in the slot. Aniket Verma gets his front leg out and launches it high and handsomely over the long on fence for a 100-METER biggie.

Romario Shepherd to David Payne, In the blockhole, on middle, David Payne jams it out towards long on for a single. Good result for SRH as Aniket gets back on strike.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to David Payne, Pitched up and on off, David Payne drives it to long off and interestingly, they take the single. Maybe it would have been better if Verma had kept the strike.

Right, Sunrisers Hyderabad bring in David Payne as their Impact Sub. Travis Head has been subbed out. Payne will have a role to play with the ball later, but for now, he has to lend support to Aniket Verma.

Travis Head is substituted by David Payne

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Harshal Patel, OUT! TAKEN! Another one bites the dust. Bhuvneshwar Kumar lands this short of a length and just outside off. Harshal Patel stays back in his crease and tries to flat-bat it down the ground, but fails to get any power on the shot. It flies straight into the hands of Devdutt Padikkal at long off, who makes no mistake and grabs his third catch of the match. Sunrisers Hyderabad are 174/8 now.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Harshal Patel, Good length and on off, Harshal Patel stabs it out to extra cover.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Aniket Verma, DROPPED! Would you believe it? Virat Kohli has put down a catch. This is fuller and on middle, takes pace off. Aniket Verma looks to go big down the ground but takes his eyes off and only mistimes it high in the air. Virat Kohli runs forward a long way from long on, gets to the ball, but fails to hold on to it. He will be disappointed with that effort. Aniket only takes a single, as he thought he was a goner.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Aniket Verma, FOUR! Cheeky and effective! Bhuvneshwar Kumar bangs in a slower bouncer, on middle, keeps rising. Aniket Verma does well to hop up and reach for that and upper cuts it over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Aniket Verma, Back of a length and just outside off, Aniket Verma slaps it wide of long off for a couple of runs.

Number 7 goes down for SRH. That brings Harshal Patel to the crease. Also, Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes back into the attack.

Romario Shepherd to Harsh Dubey, OUT! CAUGHT! End of a short stay for Harsh Dubey. Shepherd spots Dubey making the shuffle and exposes his leg stump. He goes full and in line with the leg pole. Harsh picks it up off the pads but gets the height and not the distance. It goes only as far as deep backward square leg, where Devdutt Padikkal settles under the skier and makes no mistake. Another ball in this innings that isn't quite a great delivery, but it still fetches the bowler a wicket.

Romario Shepherd to Harsh Dubey, Across off, slower ball bowled into the wicket, Dubey drags the pull over mid-wicket. He does not quite get hold of it and it is cut off by Phil Salt, who runs around from deep square leg. Two runs taken.

Romario Shepherd to Harsh Dubey, WIDE! Tries the off-cutter, bowls this on a good length but way outside off, Harsh Dubey leaves it alone. Wided.

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, Back of a length and on off, takes pace off, Aniket Verma heaves it away to deep square leg for one.

Romario Shepherd to Harsh Dubey, Touch fuller and on off, Harsh Dubey pushes it through cover-point for another run.

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, Romario Shepherd nails the yorker this time, on middle, Aniket Verma jams it out towards long on for a single.

Romario Shepherd to Aniket Verma, SIX! That is a shot and a half! Romario Shepherd lands this short of a length but angles it down the leg side. Aniket Verma moves across to get inside the line of it and hooks it with all his power. The ball sails over the fine leg fence, into the second tier for a monster hit.

The loudest cheer from the Chinnaswamy crowd in this game. RCB have managed to get rid of the dangerous Ishan Kishan. Harsh Dubey replaces him in the middle.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, OUT! CAUGHT! It had to take something special to dislodge Ishan Kishan and Phil Salt has pulled off a spectacular catch. It is just the opening night, and we already have a contender for the catch of the season. Abhinandan Singh will consider himself lucky here. This is a low full toss, outside off. Kishan tries to repeat the earlier six and opens the bat face to slice it behind point. Ends up hitting it square this time. Phil Salt sprints to his right from deep point, and while being at full tilt, he stretches his right hand out and holds onto it while sliding. He ensures that the ball stays away from the ground by sliding with the back of his hand on the ground. End of a top knock from the SRH skipper.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, SIX! Easy as you like! Abhinandan Singh looks to push it across the left-hander, full in length. Kishan crouches and extends his hands. He makes use of the angle by opening the bat face and clears the deep third fence for six more.

Abhinandan Singh to Aniket Verma, Hard length delivery, on middle. Aniket is tucked up for room and mistimes the pull to the left of deep mid-wicket. Phil Salt gets around and mops it up. Just a single.

Abhinandan Singh to Aniket Verma, Good comeback from Singh! Nails the yorker, right at the base of the off stump. Aniket hurriedly drops his bat down on the ball and squeezes it out to backward point. Ishan is keen on a single and is halfway down the track before being sent back. Romario Shepherd gets rid of the ball quickly but the ball goes well over the stumps. Kishan was in before the throw came in.

Abhinandan Singh to Aniket Verma, SIX! Clean as a whistle! At 136.4 kph, Singh bangs it in short but this sits up to be hit. It comes just above the waist for Verma, who stands tall and nails the pull over mid-wicket for half a dozen.

Abhinandan Singh to Aniket Verma, Hits the good length, on the off stump. Verma pats it off the front foot to cover.

Strategic Break! The final five overs are coming up now and could well be the match-defining phase in this game. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have pulled things back with a couple of quick wickets, but as long as Ishan Kishan is out there, they cannot breathe easy. Sunrisers Hyderabad may have lost half their team, but they are still in a good position to push for a total near 200. However, for that to happen, skipper Kishan needs to stay till the end and the others will also have to chip in. Here is Abhinandan Singh to bowl after the break.

Suyash Sharma to Aniket Verma, Flatter and quicker, on a nagging length. Aniket punches it to long on for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Aniket Verma, FOUR! Gets it through! Sharma continues to be a bit too short, around off. Aniket picks the wrong 'un and waits for the ball to arrive. He opens the bat face and steers it between short third and backward point for a boundary.

Suyash Sharma to Aniket Verma, Another drag down by Suyash, outside off. Aniket flashes and misses.

Sunrisers Hyderabad find half their side back in the hut now. Aniket Verma comes out to the middle.

Suyash Sharma to Salil Arora, OUT! CAUGHT! One brings two for RCB. Not the best of balls by Suyash Sharma but he will take it. Suyash tries the googly but drops it too short. Turning towards the off and middle stump. Arora hangs back and goes for the pull. He makes a half-hearted attempt. Neither does he get the elevation, nor is it wide enough to beat the fielder in the deep. Hits it flat and straight to deep mid-wicket, where Devdutt Padikkal runs in off the ropes and takes a safe catch by diving forward.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, Googly, on a nagging length, Kishan steers it through point and crosses over.

Suyash Sharma to Salil Arora, Flighted delivery, full and outside off. Salil Arora goes hard on the drive. The ball catches the inner half and goes behind square leg for one.

Romario Shepherd to Salil Arora, On a hard length, on off, Arora dabs it behind point for a run.

Romario Shepherd to Salil Arora, SIX! Top edge but it goes all the way! Romario Shepherd digs it in short, around off. Salil swings at it for the pull but fails to get on top of the bounce. A top edge is found and it clears the man at the deep fine leg fence for a six.

Romario Shepherd to Ishan Kishan, Across off, on a hard length, Ishan cuts it to deep point for one.

Romario Shepherd to Salil Arora, On middle, on a shortish length, Salil pulls it uppishly towards deep square leg. The fielder charges in from the deep but the ball drops short. They cross.

Romario Shepherd to Salil Arora, At the sticks, on a good length. Arora stabs it down on the leg side.

A timely breakthrough for RCB. Salil Arora walks out to bat on IPL debut.

Romario Shepherd to Heinrich Klaasen, OUT! CAUGHT! Phil Salt has somehow managed to hold on near the ropes. Romario Shepherd comes back into the attack and breaks the threatening 97-run stand. He lands this on a good length, on middle and leg. Heinrich Klaasen stays deep in his crease and looks to heave it towards deep mid-wicket. He does not get it from the middle of the bat, and the ball flies high in the air. Phil Salt, near the ropes, settles under the high ball and takes the catch. However, he loses his balance and rolls over, with his foot very close to the ropes. The third umpire is called in to check whether any part of his body touches the ropes or not. From one of the angles, it looks like the cushions just moved, but the third umpire, after watching a few different angles, deems that it is a fair catch. Klaasen looks a bit bemused but has to accept the decision in the end.

Taken at deep mid-wicket. Is it a clean effort from Phil Salt? Was any part of his body touching the boundary cushions? Heinrich Klaasen has been asked to wait. The third umpire requests a top angle from the director, but it’s not conclusive enough to make a decision. He eventually goes to the front-on angle and finds no movement of the boundary cushions. He rules it a clean catch. Klaasen is not pleased one bit as he makes his way back to the shed.

Krunal Pandya to Ishan Kishan, SIX MORE! The SRH captain is leading from the front here. Krunal Pandya tosses it up, full and on off. Ishan Kishan gets this one right in his slog. He clears his front leg and tonks it over the bowler's head for half a dozen more. 21 runs off the over!

Krunal Pandya to Ishan Kishan, SIX! Easy pickings for Ishan Kishan! Krunal Pandya fires this one full but angles it down the leg side. Ishan Kishan goes down on one knee, picks it up and slog sweeps it comfortably over the deep backward square leg fence for another biggie.

Krunal Pandya to Heinrich Klaasen, Another short delivery, on off, Heinrich Klaasen slaps it to sweeper cover for one.

Krunal Pandya to Ishan Kishan, Short again, on middle, Ishan Kishan tries to pull it away but loses his shape. Gets it off the inner half of the bat to deep square leg for a run.

Krunal Pandya to Heinrich Klaasen, Short and around off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it through covers for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Heinrich Klaasen, SIX! BANG! You cannot give freebies like that. A juicy full toss, on middle, begging to be put away. Heinrich Klaasen does not miss out and smokes it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Poor delivery and it gets the treatment! A real half-tracker, down leg. Kishan does not miss out on putting it away. He swivels and pulls it behind square leg for the third boundary of the over. Suyash Sharma goes for 13 runs in his 2nd over.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, Pushed through quicker, shortish and on off, Ishan Kishan steers it to point.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, Almost a run out! Suyash Sharma floats it up, full and on off, Ishan Kishan pushes it towards extra cover. Heinrich Klaasen sets off for the run but is sent back. The fielder has a shy at the bowler's end while Klaasen puts in a dive. The ball hits Klaasen's bat and deflects away. No appeal from RCB as Klaasen did not change direction while trying to reach his ground.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, FOUR MORE! That is a beautiful shot! Suyash Sharma flights it up, full and around off, Ishan Kishan goes inside out, uses his reach and lofts it over extra cover for another boundary. The 100 is up for SRH!

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! FIFTY FOR ISHAN KISHAN! He has continued his international form into the IPL and has made batting look easy here. Just 27 balls to get to his half-century. Tossed up, full and on middle, Kishan gets right under it and pumps it past the bowler, between long on and long off for a boundary.

Suyash Sharma to Heinrich Klaasen, Flatter delivery, full and on middle and leg, Heinrich Klaasen tucks it away wide of short fine. The fielder dives to his left a bit too early but manages to make the stop in the end. A single taken.

Krunal Pandya to Heinrich Klaasen, Uppish but safe! Floated, full and on off, Heinrich Klaasen drills it really hard and aerially wide of the bowler. Krunal Pandya stretches his left arm out, but the ball just evades him and goes towards long off for one more run.

Krunal Pandya to Ishan Kishan, Drags his length back and just outside off, Ishan Kishan cuts it away to deep point for one.

Krunal Pandya to Heinrich Klaasen, Flighted, full and on off, Heinrich Klaasen eases it towards long off for another run.

Krunal Pandya to Ishan Kishan, Keeps the length short once more, bowls it with a round-arm action whilst going low. This is outside off, Ishan Kishan slaps it away to wide long off for a run.

Krunal Pandya to Heinrich Klaasen, Shorter in length again, on off, Heinrich Klaasen punches it down to long off for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Heinrich Klaasen, Quicker and short, on off, Heinrich Klaasen moves back to cut but tries to go at it a bit too hard. He ends up chopping it down to short cover.

It will be spin from both ends as Krunal Pandya has been called into the attack.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, Slower through the air, full and on middle, Ishan Kishan knocks it to the left of the bowler.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, Flatter delivery, shortish and on middle, Ishan Kishan gets low and heaves it away wide of deep square leg. The sub fielder, Kanishk Chouhan, is quick to move to his right and dives to save a couple of runs for his team.

Suyash Sharma to Heinrich Klaasen, Short again and on off, Heinrich Klaasen stays back and stabs it towards short cover, where the fielder only makes a half-stop. They cross.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, Drops it a bit short and around off, Ishan Kishan punches it through cover-point for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Gets it away! Flighted delivery, full and around off, keeping it out of the arc of the batter. Ishan Kishan extends his arms and drills it through extra cover. Tim David from long off runs to his right and dives, but cannot stop the boundary.

Suyash Sharma to Ishan Kishan, Starts with a wrong'un, full and on middle, turns away. Ishan Kishan winds up for the slog but adjusts to the length and steers it towards point.

Strategic Break! Despite losing 3 wickets inside the Powerplay, Sunrisers Hyderabad have actually recovered well through Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan. Yes, maybe they have had some luck, but we have also seen the damage that this duo can cause. Jacob Duffy was simply outstanding on his debut, picking all three wickets, but Royal Challengers Bengaluru know that they need to break this partnership as quickly as possible. First look at spin as the leggie Suyash Sharma comes on.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, Full and wide on off. Kishan reaches out and flays at it. He loses his shape in the process and gets an inside edge wide of short fine leg for a run.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, Around leg, on a good length, Kishan nudges it with soft hands in the vacant mid-wicket region and comes charging back for the second before the fielder in the deep gets to the ball.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! In the gap! Abhinandan Singh digs it in short, across off. Ishan stands tall and unleashes the pull. He plays it aerially but in the gap between deep mid-wicket and long on for a four.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, Nearly dragged it back onto the sticks! On a hard length, on off. Kishan goes hard at the pull but drags an inside edge onto the pads.

Abhinandan Singh to Heinrich Klaasen, Low full toss, on middle. Heinrich Klaasen clips it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, Into the surface, over off and middle. Kishan pulls it in front of square on the leg side and takes a single.

Change of ends for Abhinandan Singh. He went for 16 runs in his first over.

Romario Shepherd to Heinrich Klaasen, Shepherd drags the length back, on off. Klaasen stays back and whips it all along the ground to deep mid-wicket, where Tim David sprints and dives to his left to prevent the boundary. Two runs taken. A productive over for SRH. 16 runs off it.

Romario Shepherd to Heinrich Klaasen, FOUR! Rinse and repeat! Romario Shepherd serves it a bit too full again, on the off pole. Klaasen just lets his hands flow into the shot. Just checks his drive and the mid off fielder stands no chance as he is beaten to his right.

Romario Shepherd to Heinrich Klaasen, FOUR! A shot of high class! Wobble seam delivery, full and in line with the off stump. Heinrich Klaasen does not move his feet much and just extends his hands into the drive. He plays a punchy drive to the right of mid off for a boundary.

Romario Shepherd to Ishan Kishan, Slightly fuller, outside off. This is cut away to deep point for one.

Romario Shepherd to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Fine shot! At 136.3 kph, on a back of a length, going across. Ishan gets his hands high and rides the bounce. He plays it late to beat backward point to his right. It races away for a boundary.

Romario Shepherd to Heinrich Klaasen, Romario Shepherd begins with a full ball, on middle. Heinrich Klaasen pushes it with a straight bat to long on for a run.

What a spell from Jacob Duffy! He finished with figures of 4-0-22-3 and is also done for the night as he has been substituted. Devdutt Padikkal has been subbed in. It is time for Romario Shepherd to come into the attack.

Jacob Duffy is substituted by Devdutt Padikkal

Jacob Duffy to Heinrich Klaasen, On a shortish length, on middle. Heinrich Klaasen pulls it flat and on the bounce to deep square leg. End of a superb maiden IPL outing for Duffy.

Jacob Duffy to Heinrich Klaasen, Nearly chipped it back! That hard length again from Duffy, on a hard length, on off. Heinrich Klaasen stands tall to work it away with a closed bat face. Gets a leading edge and it pops back towards the bowler but lands well in front of him.

Jacob Duffy to Ishan Kishan, Moving back in, on a nagging length, on middle. Kishan waits back to deal with it. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and it rolls down to deep third for one.

Jacob Duffy to Heinrich Klaasen, On a good length, outside off. Klaasen punches it to deep cover and crosses over.

Jacob Duffy to Ishan Kishan, A bit more effort behind this ball from Duffy. On a hard length, outside off. Kishan rises with the bounce and guides it to deep third for one.

Jacob Duffy to Heinrich Klaasen, The 50 is up for SRH! Duffy goes into the surface, over middle. Heinrich Klaasen pulls it through square leg and picks up a single.

End of the Powerplay. It has certainly belonged to the home team and more often than not, 3 wickets inside the Powerplay are a telling factor in the game. Let's see if SRH can now bounce back. Also, Jacob Duffy will bowl out here.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, End of an eventful Powerplay! Around leg, on a good length, Ishan turns it off the pads to mid-wicket. SRH end the Powerplay at 49/3.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, Low full toss, on off, Kishan pats it to point.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, SIX! Ishan Kishan flashes and flashes hard! Across off, on a hard length. Kishan's eyes light up on seeing the width offered. He flays at it and gets a thickish outside edge. The ball flies over the man at short third and goes over the ropes for a six.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Not from the middle but it gets the job done for the SRH skipper. Better line from the debutant on the short ball, on middle. Ishan takes it on and manages to clear mid-wicket. Jacob Duffy gives it a long chase and dives but cannot prevent the boundary.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, SIX! BANG! That has gone back many a mile. Another short ball but the height is not as high as the previous ball and the line is slightly too straight. Kishan swivels and gets under the ball to park the pull behind square leg for a biggie.

Abhinandan Singh to Ishan Kishan, Almost a wicket on the first ball for the debutant! Singh charges in from over the wicket and like Duffy has done so far, he bashes the surface at 139 kph. He gets it high enough to trouble the batter as Ishan attempts the pull. The ball spoons off the upper half of the blade but lands just short of the rushing mid-wicket fielder.

Here's the first bowling change of the match and the ball is now tossed to another debutant, Abhinandan Singh.

Jacob Duffy to Heinrich Klaasen, Angled into the right-hander, on a short of a length. Klaasen hops and nudges it from the crease to mid-wicket. A very tidy over from Duffy, 4 runs and a wicket from it. 17 for 3 in his 3 overs so far.

Jacob Duffy to Ishan Kishan, Shaping back in, on a hard length, on off. Ishan glides it down to deep third and crosses over.

Jacob Duffy to Heinrich Klaasen, Klaasen is off the mark! Duffy keeps it nice and full, on off. Heinrich just extends his hands and eases himself into the drive. He plays it between cover and mid off. Romario Shepherd goes after it from mid off and puts in a dive just before the boundary cushions to save a run for his side.

Jacob Duffy to Heinrich Klaasen, Duffy pitches it up and gets the ball to move away in the air, Heinrich Klaasen watchfully lets it go.

This is turning out to be some debut for Jacob Duffy and it is almost like Josh Hazlewood never even went away. Heinrich Klaasen, SRH's top scorer from last season, walks in at number 5 with his side in some early trouble.

Jacob Duffy to Nitish Kumar Reddy, OUT! TAKEN! The start gets even better for RCB. Third wicket in the Powerplay for Jacob Duffy. He continues to reap rewards by hitting the deck hard. This is banged into the strip, around off. Nitish Kumar Reddy tries to take it on but is in no position to do so. He fails to get on top of the bounce and it comes off the splice of the bat. It is skied beside the strip on the leg side, where Abhinandan Singh takes a couple of steps forward from mid-wicket and does the rest.

Jacob Duffy to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jacob Duffy hits the hard length, over middle. Nitish Kumar Reddy stays on the back foot and shapes up to clip it away but Duffy gets extra lift off the deck. Gets a soft leading edge to cover.

Bowling change? Nope. Jacob Duffy to bowl three on the trot.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Angled into the pads, on a good length. NKR works it off the pads to the right of mid on and takes a single to get off the mark.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Good effort! Fractionally wide, on the shorter side. Reddy slaps it hard but can't beat Jacob Duffy at backward point, who dives to his left to make the stop.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, On the off stump, on a length, Nitish stabs it down on the off side.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nitish Kumar Reddy, Lovely ball! Test match line and length from Bhuvi. On a good length, in the corridor. Reddy has a poke at it and is lucky not to nick this one behind.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Ishan Kishan, Keeps it on a back of a length but the line is closer to the off stump. Kishan pats it wide of cover off the back foot and gets to the other end.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Ishan Kishan, FOUR! Nicely done! In the channel, on a short of a length. Kishan waits on the back foot and rides the bounce to just punch it away through covers for a boundary. Ishan brings up 3,000 runs in IPL.

A double whammy for Jacob Duffy and the crowd has erupted at the Chinnaswamy. Nitish Kumar Reddy walks out to bat next but he won't be on strike for the time being.

Jacob Duffy to Travis Head, OUT! CAUGHT! Travis Head could not have picked out the fielder in the deep any better. A dream start on IPL debut for Jacob Duffy. It is that scrambled seam delivery again and Duffy bashes the surface. Head gets on his toes to drag the pull from the line of the off stump but the ball comes on slower than he expected. He is through his shot early and it comes off the toe end of the blade. It goes flat and straight down the throat of deep square leg, where Phil Salt does not have to move an inch. He bends and takes the reverse cup catch around his neck.

Jacob Duffy to Travis Head, FOUR! Up and over! Fuller and on off. Head stays deep in the crease, clears his front leg before launching it over mid off. It nearly went the distance.

Jacob Duffy to Travis Head, Beaten! Into the surface, over middle. Head gets on his toes and looks to whip it across the line but is beaten on the inside edge.

Jacob Duffy to Travis Head, Sharp work! On a back of a length, on off, Head punches it wide of cover but not wide enough of Krunal Pandya. Krunal moves to his left swiftly and cuts down the single.

Jacob Duffy to Ishan Kishan, Leaving the left-hander, on a back of a length. Kishan glides it behind point and is keen for the second run but the deep third fielder gets around and keeps the batters down to a single.

One Southpaw departs and another one walks right in. The SRH skipper, Ishan Kishan, is in at number 3.

Jacob Duffy to Abhishek Sharma, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Jacob Duffy has his first wicket in RCB colours, and it is the big one of Abhishek Sharma. Duffy bends his back and bowls it into the wicket. Scrambled seam delivery, going across the off stump. Abhishek hangs back and swivels for the pull but fails to get on top of the bounce. Slices it off the upper half of the bat behind the stumps. The keeper, Jitesh Sharma turns around and takes a few steps to his left to settle under it. He makes no mistake and the crowd goes ballistic.

RCB clearly looking to attack Abhishek Sharma's hips but their bowlers are bowling a bit too straight and drifting down the leg side.

Jacob Duffy to Abhishek Sharma, Wide! Duffy sprays it down leg in his quest to deny Abhishek any sort of room.

Another over for Duffy? Or will we see one-over spells right away? Jacob Duffy to continue…

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Travis Head, FOUR! Almost dragged it back onto the stumps. In line with the off stump, on a good length. Head does not move his feet at all and just stays leg side of the ball. He pushes away from his body and gets an inside edge that sneaks past the leg stump before racing down to the fine leg fence.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Leg bye! Keeps it at the bodyline of the batter, on a back of a length. Sharma is beaten on the flick and a leg bye is taken as the ball goes away on the leg side.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Wide! Down leg again, on a short of a length. Sharma swings but fails to get it away.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Oh, that could have gone anywhere! Bhuvi tucks Abhishek up for room. This is on a back of a length, around the right thigh. Sharma swivels for the pull but the ball skids through and the batter can get his hands through the ball. It catches Abhishek on the thigh before lobbing and beside Sharma and dribbling past the stumps. Abhishek had no idea where the ball was.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Wide! Drifts down leg, on the shorter side, Abhishek attempts the glance before withdrawing his bat.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Travis Head, On top of off, Head lets the ball come to him and runs it down to deep third with an open bat face for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Abhishek Sharma, Well bowled! Bhuvneshwar Kumar spots Abhishek jumping out of the crease and he smartly pulls the length back, on middle. Sharma adjusts as he taps it to the left of point and hurries to the other end. Krunal Pandya has a shy at the bowling end but misses. It would not have mattered as Sharma was in anyway.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Travis Head, Moving back into the left-hander, on a length, at the sticks. Travis hangs back to deal with it and he turns it to the left of mid-wicket for a single.

A timid first over by SRH's standards but they'll be pleased to see off the first over without losing a wicket. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will now bowl from the opposite end.

Jacob Duffy to Abhishek Sharma, Abhishek will feel that he missed out. Duffy tries to go full but dishes out a full toss, which catches Abhishek by surprise and he tentatively pats it to cover.

Jacob Duffy to Abhishek Sharma, A big swing and a miss! Angling across off, on a length. Sharma swings for the hills but fails to lay any bat on it.

Jacob Duffy to Abhishek Sharma, SIX! And Abhishek Sharma is up and running. The first six of this year's IPL inevitably comes off the blade of Abhishek. Duffy goes full in search of swing but errs in line as he offers width. Abhishek extends his hands and gets low before carving it over the deep point fence for a biggie.

Jacob Duffy to Abhishek Sharma, Goes past the bat! Jitesh Sharma has heard something. Sharma is pretty confident and he convinces Rajat Patidar to take the review. Sliding across the left-hander, on a good length, just outside the off stump. Abhishek hangs back and fiddles at the delivery with the bat face slightly open. The ball leaves him with the angle before going towards the keeper. UltraEdge shows a flat line. Royal Challengers Bengaluru burn a review early.

Jacob Duffy to Travis Head, Sunrisers Hyderabad are away! Slightly too straight from Duffy. Fuller and swinging back into the pads. Head swings at it whilst staying rooted to the crease. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads and the batters sneak in a quick single as the ball dribbles towards short fine leg.

Jacob Duffy to Travis Head, Duffy is right on the money! Steams in from over the wicket and lands it on a length, around the off stump. A bit of inward shape and Head watchfully dabs it to point.

Done and dusted with the pre-match formalities and it is now time for Season 19 to finally get underway. The players of Royal Challengers Bengaluru can be seen taking their fielding positions and after a few moments, the two umpires also make their way out to the middle. It is already almost a packed house with more and more people flocking into the stadium. It will be the Southpaw duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head to open the innings for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Big call from the RCB skipper first up as Jacob Duffy has been handed the new ball ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Things could get very interesting real soon. Let's play…

A touching moment for everyone involved, and now both sets of players lineup for the Indian national anthem, with that glittering trophy showcased in the middle.

We are just minutes away from kicking off the new season in Bengaluru. The crowd is in a celebratory mood, but it is also an emotional moment for the people of Bengaluru. There will now be a moment of silence for those 11 fans who, unfortunately, lost their lives in the RCB victory celebrations after last season's triumph.

Impact subs nominated by SRH – Shivang Kumar, Liam Livingstone, David Payne, Ravichandran Smaran and Sakib Hussain.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI) – Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (C/WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat and Eshan Malinga.

Impact subs nominated by RCB – Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, Rasikh Salam, Kanishk Chouhan and Venkatesh Iyer.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) – Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy and Suyash Sharma.

The skipper of Sunrisers Hyderabad – Ishan Kishan shares that the mood in the camp is positive, with it being the first game of the season. Shares that they would have bowled first as well, but feels that it doesn't matter much, as it is all about executing their plans. Ishan admits that not having Pat Cummins makes a big difference. He believes that it is important to keep things simple and follow your instincts. Informs that Salil Arora makes his debut, and Kishan wants him to play his natural game.

The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru –  Rajat Patidar says that it is the season opener, and they want to see how the wicket behaves. Mentions that there are a lot of positives from the last season, and they want to become champions again. On injuries, Rajat says that they have a good squad and a great medical team, so most of the squad is fit and raring to go. Goes on to applaud the crowd for supporting them all these years. Patidar ends by informing that new faces like Jacob Duffy and Abhinandan Singh are in the Playing XI.

TOSS – Time for the coin to go up for the first time this season. Rajat Patidar and Ishan Kishan are out in the middle alongside match referee Javagal Srinath. Kishan calls 'heads', but it has come down as a tail. The crowd goes berserk as Ian Bishop asks Patidar his decision. Royal Challengers Bengaluru elect to BOWL first.

How's the mood in the SRH camp? Travis Head is here to tell us. On putting on a massive score last time SRH played in Bengaluru, Head says that it is always nice to come back to a venue where you have good memories. Adds that going gung-ho with the bat seems to be the only way right now in T20 cricket. Travis mentions that it is great to see Abhishek Sharma come such a long way and says that he's been one of the best in the world for some time now. On Ishan Kishan, Head says that he's a great leader and with Pat also by his side, it all seems to be coming together well heading into the opening match of the season.

PITCH REPORT – Former Kiwi pacer Danny Morrison is pitchside. He begins by noting a bit of cloud cover before moving on to the dimensions. The square boundaries measure 65 metres on one side and 64 metres on the other, with the straight hit being 73 metres. Danny is joined by former England batter Kevin Pietersen, who points out a beautiful covering of grass on the surface. There are a few bare patches as well, but he does not expect them to have much of an impact. Pietersen mentions that there are plenty of runs on offer on this wicket, and the bowlers will need to be at their best. Kevin feels the captain winning the toss should look to chase, to which Morrison agrees.

What does history tell us? Defending the title is one of the toughest challenges in this league. Only the Chennai Super Kings (2010 and 2011) and the Mumbai Indians (2019 and 2020) have managed it before. Under Rajat Patidar, RCB have their sights set on joining that elite company. SRH have managed just 5 wins in 13 opening games, while RCB have been more consistent, winning 11 of their 18. Two star-studded sides capable of lighting up the stage and setting the tone for the rest of the competition. A blockbuster start awaits. Stay with us for the toss and team news.

Well begun is half done – A strong start can shape an entire campaign, and Sunrisers Hyderabad had anything but that last season. After finishing as runners-up in 2024, they managed just 2 wins in their first 7 games in 2025, leaving themselves with too much to do in the second half. Without their talismanic captain Pat Cummins for the first few games, the road ahead will not be easy. While their batting firepower is unquestionable, it is the bowling that will be put to the test, and stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan will have the responsibility of holding it all together.

From the big question to a bigger one – For years, the question echoed, is this RCB's year? In 2025, they answered it in emphatic fashion. Now, the question grows even bigger, can they defend the crown? Quite the feeling when you say it out loud, isn't it, RCB fans? Consistency was the bedrock of their rise. Five playoff appearances since 2020 laid the foundation, and it all came together in a title-winning run in 2025.

Season 19, Episode 1 – IPL is back, and as always, it promises to be better than ever. 74 matches across a two-month-long journey, as ten teams battle it out for ultimate glory. The 19th chapter of cricket's grand carnival roars into life tonight at the home of the defending champions, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Sunrisers Hyderabad. 3rd June, 2025, will forever be etched in the memory of every RCB fan. Tonight promises to be a special atmosphere as they welcome their champion side back home for the first time since that unforgettable night in Ahmedabad.

… MATCH DAY …

IPL 19 is here – As the league steps into its 19th season, its essence is best captured by the words etched on the Indian Premier League trophy – Yatra Pratibha Avsara Prapnotihi – Where Talent Meets Opportunity. Yatra – This is the journey, not just of a tournament, but of an emotion that has grown with time. Back in 2008, when the lights first came on and city-based franchises took shape, it felt like an experiment. Today, it feels like tradition. What began with eight teams stepping into the unknown expanded into a ten-team spectacle that defines the rhythm of cricketing summers. This journey has seen the game transform in real time. From no DRS to decisions reviewed frame by frame, from static playing XIs to the strategic twist of the Impact Player rule. And even when the world came to a standstill during COVID, the journey did not pause. It adapted, endured, and found a way to stay alive in living rooms across the globe. The kids who once rushed through homework to catch a game are now balancing life’s responsibilities, yet still finding those four hours of escape. They have watched MS Dhoni finish games with ice in his veins, Rohit Sharma build a dynasty, and a young Virat Kohli turn passion into legacy. It all sparked right here at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2008, with Brendon McCullum’s logic-defying 158*, a night that changed the sport’s DNA forever. Pratibha – If Yatra was the journey, Pratibha is the reason the journey exists. Talent, raw and unfiltered, has always been the heartbeat of this league. From a young Virat Kohli walking out as an Under-19 World Cup winner in 2008 to becoming the face of a franchise, to an unknown Jasprit Bumrah rewriting fast bowling norms with a slinging action, batters still struggle to decode. The IPL has never waited for reputations. It has created them. Think of Chris Gayle turning a T20 game into theatre with that 175*, or AB de Villiers playing shots that felt like they belonged to a different dimension, or David Warner making run accumulation look like a routine. And then there are the quieter rises. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal, where patience met opportunity, and turned into consistency. Avsara – Talent alone does not write stories. It needs a stage, and that stage rarely arrives with a warning. It just shows up. That’s how stories begin here. A young Shubman Gill getting that extended run and owning it. Rinku Singh going from a supporting role to delivering one of the most unforgettable finishes the league has seen. These aren’t planned rises. They happen, and when they do, they change everything. Prapnotihi – The moment of arrival. Not when you are noticed, but when you are accepted at this level. In the IPL, promise is never enough. You have to back it up, again and again, in front of packed stadiums and millions watching. This season brings Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 15 years old, carrying the kind of belief that does not know fear yet. It also brings what could be MS Dhoni’s final chapter, a man who did not just win in this league but taught it how to think. Two arrivals of completely different kinds, separated by decades but connected by the same truth. The IPL does not discriminate between beginnings and farewells. It simply makes them unforgettable. And that is the full circle. The same Yatra that once introduced a young Dhoni to the world now welcomes a 15-year-old who perhaps does not yet realise he is about to become part of the same story. Chapter 1 – They say patience is the sharpest weapon in the pursuit of greatness. RCB forged theirs over 18 long, relentless years. Seasons of heartbreak, near-misses, and ‘what ifs’ only made the wait more poetic. And then, finally, the long drought ended. RCB didn’t just win the title, they claimed it in a way that felt destined, deserved, and deeply satisfying. Now, the Royal Challengers don’t walk in as hopeful contenders anymore. They arrive as champions ready to defend their crown. Mathematics has never quite caught up with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Over the last couple of seasons, the Orange Army has made a habit of posting totals that once looked humanly impossible to achieve, threatening every bowling lineup that dared to stand in their way. Totals nearing 300 have stopped being outliers for this side. The DNA of this franchise has been rewired completely. However, the 2024 runner-ups aim to flip the script after missing out on the playoffs in the previous edition, finishing sixth. The stage is truly set to go ablaze as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the curtain raiser of IPL 2026 at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Defending champions are ready again – RCB enters the 2026 season with a strategy defined by continuity and surgical reinforcements. The retention of the 2025 core – Virat Kohli, captain Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, and Krunal Pandya – ensures that the championship chemistry remains intact. However, the team faces immediate challenges in the bowling department. Senior Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood is expected to miss the initial matches due to fitness issues. Furthermore, Yash Dayal has been ruled out of the 2026 season due to personal issues. To counter these absences, RCB acquired Venkatesh Iyer in the mini-auction. Iyer provides a versatile left-handed option who can bat anywhere in the batting order, adding tactical flexibility for the Impact Player rule. The signing of New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy as a backup for Hazlewood and the metronomic emergence of uncapped pacer Mangesh Yadav provide the necessary depth for the pace attack, which will again be led by the evergreen Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Bhuvi is just a couple of scalps away from completing 200 IPL wickets. The Kohli factor – There were tears. His knees on the ground. When RCB finally got their hands on that trophy, Virat Kohli felt every single second of it, and so did every soul watching. He has been this franchise's heartbeat since its inception. The numbers, as ever, do the talking. Kohli and the Chinnaswamy have a love story that Bollywood would struggle to script. A staggering 3,202 IPL runs at this ground alone, he has scored more runs than any other player has ever scored at this venue. Kohli also happens to be the highest run scorer in the history of this competition, with the record for most centuries (8) and half centuries (63) in the IPL overall. He has scored more than 600 runs for the last three seasons. RCB's batting order also includes aggressive overseas stars like Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell and the smashers Tim David and Romario Shepherd. RCB's batting order has teeth all the way down. But this unit has always had one defining feature, and it wears the number 18. Navigating leadership voids and batting firepower – SRH’s 2026 campaign begins with a major leadership challenge. Regular captain Pat Cummins is set to miss the opening matches while still recovering from a lumbar stress issue. In his absence, Ishan Kishan, who joined the team after a successful T20 World Cup, will serve as the interim captain. The team also faces the loss of Jack Edwards, who has been replaced by England’s David Payne. Despite these setbacks, the SRH batting unit remains the most feared in the competition. The combination of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma at the top represents an ultra-aggressive opening pair in T20 history. Heinrich Klaasen continues to be the backbone of the middle order, while the addition of Liam Livingstone makes the lower middle order virtually indestructible on paper. The primary concern remains whether the bowling unit, led by Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat, can contain the RCB batters at the Chinnaswamy. Another year of 'TraviShek' assault loading? They are one of the destructive pairs and have batted with a run rate of 12.6, which is the best by any pair in IPL (Min 1000 runs). They both have redefined the way of attacking from the word go. In fact, Abhishek has the best SR (Min 500 runs), while Head has the 3rd best among openers in IPL since 2024. However, both batters faced a notable dip in form in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, and a slide in their strike rates by their standards, as neither could provide the usual brisk starts for their sides. And that’s where the Ishan Kishan factor comes in. Fresh off leading Jharkhand to their maiden SMAT title, he lit up the World Cup with 317 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of 193.29, finishing fourth on the leading run-scorers list. He also loves playing against RCB, his second favourite opponent, and sits just 22 runs away from 500 against them. Lack of bite with the ball – With Pat Cummins injured and some experienced bowlers absent, the team will rely on Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Shivam Mavi, Brydon Carse and domestic options like Praful Hinge to step up. Spinners such as Zeeshan Ansari will also be key in the middle overs. Success for SRH will depend on whether these bowlers can control runs, take wickets, and support the batting firepower. SRH's biggest concern heading into IPL 2026 remains their bowling depth and lack of an elite Indian spin option. How they tackle this challenge will be crucial to watch out for. Team form (Last 5 completed IPL matches) – RCB – WWWLW | SRH – WWWLW. Separated by 25 runs – Last time in Bengaluru, just 25 runs separated the two sides in a game that saw a staggering 549 runs scored. Sunrisers Hyderabad piled up a record 287, the highest first-innings total in IPL history. RCB came close to pulling off a remarkable chase but fell short. The match also witnessed a record 38 sixes, underlining just how explosive this rivalry can be. Another run fest loading? Chinnaswamy has always been a high-scoring venue, and breaching the 200-run mark looks like a routine due to its short boundary dimensions. However, in the last season, this figure was crossed only twice. But looking at the batting pedigree across the two sides, one could expect a galore of fours and sixes already.