Kishan’s Blazing 80 Powers SRH to 201 Against RCB in IPL 2026 Opener

Bengaluru, March 2026 : A commanding knock from captain Ishan Kishan and a late onslaught by Aniket Verma propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to an imposing total of 201/9 against defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the opening match of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.

Put in to bat on a slightly two-paced surface, SRH had a shaky start as RCB’s new-ball attack struck early blows. Debutant Jacob Duffy made an immediate impact, removing Abhishek Sharma with a mistimed pull that was safely collected by wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. He continued his impressive spell by dismissing Travis Head and Nitish Kumar Reddy in similar fashion, both falling to mistimed shots in the deep.

At early trouble in the powerplay, SRH needed stability, and Kishan rose to the occasion. Displaying a fine balance between caution and aggression, he anchored the innings while also keeping the scoreboard ticking. Partnering with Heinrich Klaasen, who contributed a steady 31, the duo stitched together a crucial 97-run partnership off just 53 balls, reviving SRH’s innings and shifting momentum.

Kishan was at his fluent best, reaching his half-century in just 32 deliveries. His innings of 80 off 38 balls was studded with eight boundaries and five towering sixes, as he took on both pace and spin with confidence. He punished loose deliveries from Abhinandan Singh and Suyash Sharma, ensuring SRH maintained a strong scoring rate despite early setbacks.

However, RCB kept fighting back with timely breakthroughs. Klaasen’s dismissal sparked some debate as he was caught near the boundary rope by Phil Salt in a close call. Soon after, Suyash Sharma dismissed Salil Arora, and the crucial wicket of Kishan followed, with Salt pulling off a spectacular one-handed diving catch off Abhinandan’s bowling.

With wickets falling in clusters again, SRH found themselves in a precarious position. But Aniket Verma turned the tide with a fearless counterattack. The young batter smashed 43 runs off just 18 balls, unleashing a flurry of boundaries and sixes to lift SRH past the 200-run mark. His aggressive strokeplay, particularly against Romario Shepherd, proved vital in the closing stages.

Though Shepherd eventually dismissed Aniket in the 19th over, the damage had already been done. SRH crossed the 200-run barrier, setting a challenging target for RCB under the lights in front of a packed home crowd.

For RCB, Jacob Duffy was the standout performer with an impressive 3/22 on debut, while Romario Shepherd picked up three wickets despite conceding runs.

Brief Scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 201/9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 80, Aniket Verma 43; Jacob Duffy 3/22, Romario Shepherd 3/54) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru.