IPL 2026 begins March 28 with RCB hosting SRH as BCCI releases first phase fixtures amid election delays
IPL 2026 first phase schedule has been announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The matches will run from March 28 to April 12, 2026. This covers the opening part of the 19th edition of the TATA Indian Premier League.
The tournament starts on March 28, 2026. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The game begins at 7:30 PM IST.
A total of 20 matches will take place in this phase. They will be held across 10 venues. These include Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.
The schedule features four double-headers. Afternoon matches start at 3:30 PM IST. Evening matches begin at 7:30 PM IST. The first double-header is set for April 4, 2026. Delhi Capitals face Mumbai Indians in the afternoon at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. Gujarat Titans then play Rajasthan Royals in the evening at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Rajasthan Royals start their home games in Guwahati. They host Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians there. Punjab Kings play early home matches at PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.
IPL 2026 Venue and Home Match Details
Royal Challengers Bengaluru play five home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Punjab Kings have four home games in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala. Rajasthan Royals play three home matches in Guwahati and four in Jaipur.
Matches in Bengaluru need clearance. An Expert Committee from the Government of Karnataka will inspect the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. They hold a meeting and full mock demonstration on March 13, 2026. This checks match-day arrangements and stadium readiness for IPL 2026.
The full IPL 2026 schedule will come later. Three states face State Assembly elections during this time. The BCCI will announce the complete fixtures after poll dates are confirmed.
Second phase of TATA IPL 2026
TATA IPL 2026 second phase schedule is out. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today announced the dates and venues for the remaining 50 league matches of the TATA Indian Premier League 2026.
he second phase of TATA IPL 2026 will run from April 13 to May 24, 2026. Matches will take place across 12 venues in India. This phase will decide which teams advance to the playoffs.TATA IPL 2026 second phase venues include Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Dharamshala, Raipur, and New Chandigarh.
The action in the second phase of TATA IPL 2026 resumes on April 13, 2026. Sunrisers Hyderabad will face Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad in the opening match of this phase.Eight double-headers are scheduled in the second phase of TATA IPL 2026. Afternoon matches will start at 03:30 PM IST, while evening matches begin at 07:30 PM IST.
Punjab Kings will play their home matches in New Chandigarh and Dharamshala. This includes three matches in Dharamshala during this phase.Rajasthan Royals will host four home games in Jaipur. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play three home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur.
As teams enter this crucial stage of TATA IPL 2026, the competition for playoff spots is expected to heat up. The league stage will conclude on May 24, 2026.The venues for the playoffs of TATA IPL 2026 will be announced at a later date. Fans can access the detailed schedule for the second phase by visiting the official IPL website.
This announcement completes the league stage fixtures for TATA IPL 2026. The tournament features high-stakes matches as teams battle for playoff qualification in the latter half of the season.
IPL 2025 highlights
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the IPL 2025 title. They beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs in the final on June 3, 2025, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.This was RCB’s first IPL trophy after 18 years. Virat Kohli played a key role with 43 runs off 35 balls. He was the team’s top scorer in the season with 657 runs across 15 matches.RCB posted 190/9 in their 20 overs. Key contributions came from Kohli and others. PBKS bowlers like Arshdeep Singh took 3/40 and Kyle Jamieson took 3/48.
PBKS chased but finished at 184/7. Shashank Singh scored a fighting 61* off 30 balls. Krunal Pandya took 2/17 for RCB and earned Player of the Match. The bowling unit held firm in the death overs.The final was tense and went down to the last over. RCB defended the total with strong fielding and bowling. This ended years of near-misses for the franchise.
Fans celebrated RCB’s win widely. It marked a historic moment for Virat Kohli and loyal supporters.Highlights from the season include strong playoff runs. PBKS reached the final after winning Qualifier 1 against RCB and Qualifier 2.
Read More: RCB to Host Five Home Games at Chinnaswamy in IPL 2026