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Eleven seats are pictured in the stands in tribute to the fans who died in a tragic stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in 2025. | Photo Credit: Reuters Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Saturday (March 28, 2026) honoured the fans who lost their lives in the 2025 stampede by reserving 11 seats at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru ahead of their first Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).Notably, these seats are set to remain permanently unoccupied during all IPL and international matches. Ahead of the IPL 2026 opener, players from both RCB and SRH also…

England captain Ben Stokes | Photo Credit: Reuters England captain Ben Stokes’ recovery from a broken cheekbone will keep him sidelined for the start of the county cricket season.The 34-year-old Durham star was was hit by a ball during a training session with academy players early last month, and he had surgery soon afterward.Stokes has not played since the final game of England’s 4-1 Ashes loss in Australia in January. He’ll miss the Durham’s County Championship opener against Kent next week.The all-rounder could return for matches against Worcestershire in early May, Durham coach Ryan Campbell said.England’s first summer test match…

Virat Kohli in action against SRH in the opening match of IPL 2026. | Photo Credit: K.Murali Kumar High-octane cricket returned to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium with a bang as Royal Challengers Bengaluru outclassed Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in the IPL 2026 season opener here on Saturday.Follow the IPL 2026 RCB vs SRH highlightsIt was a festive occasion at the iconic venue, which hosted its first top-level outing since the deadly stampede last year.The packed house revelled on an entertaining night, one where RCB poster boy Virat Kohli (69 n.o., 38b, 5×4, 5×6), hometown hero Devdutt Padikkal (61, 26b,…

Mumbai Indians’ coach also pointed out that Hardik Pandya’s role as an all-rounder makes the support even more valuable. File. | Photo Credit: PTI Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene believes the wealth of leadership experience in the dressing room will be a significant advantage for captain Hardik Pandya, particularly in pressure situations during the Indian Premier League.With Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav — India’s T20 World Cup-winning captains in 2024 and 2026 respectively — part of the Mumbai Indians set-up along with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner, Jayawardene feels the leadership group offers invaluable…

A leaner and fitter Rohit Sharma will be eager to come good against an opponent he has traditionally enjoyed facing. File. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy Mumbai Indians has traditionally been the bogey team for Kolkata Knight Riders, particularly at the Wankhede Stadium, where the home side enjoys a commanding 10-2 head-to-head record.Yet, history offers a curious counterpoint — the last time MI won its season-opener was back in 2012. Such contrasting trends make it difficult to pick a clear favourite purely on numbers. But, if present circumstances are anything to go by, the scales tilt decisively in favour of…

It remains to be seen how far Dhoni can stretch his IPL career. | Photo Credit: R. RAGU Athletes keep fighting against the fading light but eventually age catches up. One of Chennai’s favourite sons and a legend in world cricket is grappling with this truth.When Chennai Super Kings (CSK) put out a message on social media that its talisman M.S. Dhoni is likely to miss the first two weeks of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to a calf strain, the old maxim time and tide wait for none, came to the fore again. Ruturaj Gaikwad may captain CSK…

Starc revealed he was undergoing rehab after not realising the extent of his shoulder and elbow injury during the home summer. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO Australia pacer Mitchell Starc clarified on Saturday that he won’t be available for Delhi Capitals for the early part of IPL-19 due to a shoulder and elbow injury, but remains committed to joining the franchise as soon as possible.Starc’s remarks came after some former Indian cricketers and commentators criticised the left-armer in recent days for not linking up with the Capitals squad despite ostensibly being fully fit. The 36-year-old hasn’t played any competitive cricket…

Chennai Super Kings’ M.S. Dhoni during a practice session on March 22, 2026. | Photo Credit: R. RAGU M.S. Dhoni is likely to miss the first two weeks of IPL 2026 after suffering a calf strain, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) confirmed on Saturday.“M.S. Dhoni is currently undergoing rehabilitation for a calf strain. As a result, he is likely to miss the first two weeks of TATA IPL 2026,” the franchise said in a statement.Speaking to The Hindu, CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan said the injury occurred “during a practice match” at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here. He added that Dhoni is…

Jos Buttler during a practice session. | Photo Credit: PTI Jos Buttler has been around long enough to know that form, like fortune, can be fleeting. And as the veteran England wicketkeeper-batter prepares to begin his Indian Premier League 2026 campaign with Gujarat Titans, he is drawing on experience rather than numbers to move past a disappointing ICC T20 World Cup.Buttler endured a lean run in the global tournament, managing just 87 runs in eight innings at an average of 10.87 and a strike rate of 116. Yet, for the 35-year-old, the challenge heading into the IPL remains unchanged —…

While the defending champion RCB is vying to lift the IPL trophy for the second time, SRH, too, is eyeing a big season this year. Source link