The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is gearing up to commence on March 28, with only the schedule for the first 20 matches revealed due to state elections. As the excitement builds for this lucrative tournament, former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh expresses his hopes for a new team to claim victory. He is optimistic about witnessing ‘great matches’ given the competitive nature of the seasoned franchises.
‘It’s always thrilling to kick off the IPL season. I hope this year brings the same energy, passion, and enjoyment that the league is known for. I wish for a new team to emerge as the champion. We say this every time, but with many strong older teams, we can expect some fantastic matches,’ he remarked.
During his illustrious career, Harbhajan played for three franchises: Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), and Mumbai Indians (MI). Across 163 IPL matches, he concluded his career with an impressive tally of 150 wickets.
### IPL 2026: Opening Match Teams and Venue
The inaugural match of IPL 2026 will see defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face off against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Recently, Santosh Menon, Secretary of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), confirmed that the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will host five of RCB’s home games in IPL 2026. Additionally, it will be the venue for one of the playoff matches and the tournament final.
The remaining two home games for Bengaluru will take place at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
Cricket at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been on hold since June of last year, following a tragic incident during RCB’s celebrations where 11 fans lost their lives in a stampede. The stadium also missed hosting any matches during the ICC Women’s World Cup and the recent Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, affecting various domestic and state franchise tournaments.
As the season approaches, it will be intriguing to see if RCB, under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar, can defend their title successfully.