As the IPL 2026 season prepares to commence this Saturday, the first match features the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. In a heartfelt gesture, RCB players will don black armbands to honor the fans who tragically lost their lives in a stampede outside the stadium following the team’s historic title victory last year.
An official statement from RCB expressed, “Royal Challengers Bengaluru will pay tribute to the eleven members of the RCB family who tragically lost their lives in the unfortunate incident on June 4.”
To show their respect, players will wear practice jerseys with the number 11 during warm-ups and black armbands during the match. Additionally, eleven seats at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will remain empty as a permanent tribute to the fans whose steadfast support will forever be part of the RCB legacy.
With star players like Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Travis Head, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Romario Shepherd on the field, this match promises to be an exciting encounter. RCB aims to kick off their title defense on a high note, while Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by stand-in captain Ishan Kishan due to Pat Cummins’ absence, seeks to claim victory as well.
**IPL 2026 Squads:**
*Royal Challengers Bengaluru:* Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Venkatesh Iyer, Phil Salt (WK), Rajat Patidar (C), Nuwan Thushara, Romario Shepherd, Tim David, Devdutt Padikkal, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Salam, Jordan Cox, Jacob Bethell, Vicky Ostwal, Mangesh Yadav, Suyash Sharma, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal.
*Sunrisers Hyderabad:* Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Pat Cummins, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Travis Head, Liam Livingstone, Ishan Kishan (WK), Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, Zeeshan Ansari, Abhishek Sharma, Shivam Mavi, Jack Edwards, Harsh Dubey, Salil Arora (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Smaran Ravichandran, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Aniket Verma, Shivang Kumar, Krains Bhaveshbhai Fuletra, Omkar Tarmale.
(With ANI Inputs)