Virat Kohli in action for RCB vs SRH in IPL 2026 opener.© X/Twitter
Virat Kohli was in sublime touch for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Chasing a target of 202 in the IPL 2026 opener, Kohli remained unbeaten on 69 as RCB began their title defence in style with a six-wicket win. With this appearance, Kohli became the first player in IPL history to play all 19 seasons. In fact, he has represented only one franchise in the IPL. Meanwhile, players and match officials observed a one-minute silence ahead of the IPL 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday to pay tribute to the 11 fans who tragically lost their lives in a stampede last year. The incident occurred in June 2025 near the city’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during celebrations following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden IPL title triumph.
The tragedy unfolded when a massive crowd gathered to celebrate, leading to overcrowded gates, poor security control, and a fatal crush, resulting in over 50 injuries and 11 deaths. The BCCI had earlier cancelled the IPL 2026 opening ceremony as a mark of respect for the fans who lost their lives in the incident.
As a tribute to the victims, 11 seats at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium have been retired and will remain permanently unoccupied for all future IPL and international matches at the venue.
A commemorative plaque was unveiled near the stadium’s inner entrance by the state’s Home Minister and KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad on the day of the opener.
All RCB players wore jerseys bearing the number 11 during the pre-match warm-ups for the season opener.
Approximately Rs 7 crore has been invested to improve crowd management infrastructure at the stadium following the tragedy.