IPL Season 19 Begins at Chinnaswamy Stadium with High-Profile Match

The 19th season of the Indian Premier League begins today with an opening match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The match marks the start of IPL 2026, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru entering the season under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar. RCB secured their first-ever IPL title on June 3, 2025, after defeating Punjab Kings in the previous season’s final. In contrast, Sunrisers Hyderabad had a less successful campaign last season, finishing in sixth place and failing to qualify for the playoffs. The team will look to improve its performance in the new season. The opening league match between RCB and SRH will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the match scheduled to begin at 7:30 PM. The toss will take place at 7:00 PM. Historically, both teams have faced each other 25 times in the IPL. Sunrisers Hyderabad hold a slight edge with 13 wins, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won 11 matches. One match ended in a tie, which was decided in a Super Over in favor of SRH. At the Bengaluru venue, the two teams have met eight times. RCB have won five of those encounters, while SRH have secured three victories at the stadium.