IPL 2026 first week fixtures and key storylines: score-thread tracker
The IPL 2026 first week fixtures and key storylines cover Saturday, March 28, 2026 through Sunday, April 5, 2026, with 11 confirmed matches and two double-header days already locked in. April 2, 2026 is today, so the first five fixtures are already in the past or earlier this week, while the rest of the opening stretch is still to come. Match 6 — Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — is scheduled for today, and the early-season thread is already split between completed results, live action and what comes next.
The bigger pattern is the one to watch: RCB, CSK, DC and KKR all have repeat appearances in the first week, while April 4 and April 5 turn into the first real pressure points of the season. The opener in Bengaluru set the calendar in motion, but this tracker is about the shape of the week as a whole.
First-week fixture tracker
| Date | Match | Time IST | Venue | Storyline Hook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat Mar 28 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7:30 PM | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | Season opener in Bengaluru, with RCB starting and ending the week at home. |
| Sun Mar 29 | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | 7:30 PM | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | KKR’s first early outing before they are back again on April 2. |
| Mon Mar 30 | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | CSK begin a two-fixture week with a Jaipur trip before returning to Chennai. |
| Tue Mar 31 | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | 7:30 PM | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali | A standalone night game before the schedule tightens again. |
| Wed Apr 1 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | 7:30 PM | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | DC’s first outing comes three days before their home return on April 4. |
| Thu Apr 2 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7:30 PM | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Today’s game and KKR’s quick reset after the Mumbai fixture. |
| Fri Apr 3 | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | 7:30 PM | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | CSK’s second first-week fixture brings them back home after Jaipur. |
| Sat Apr 4 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | 3:30 PM | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | DC’s second match lands in Delhi just three days after Lucknow. |
| Sat Apr 4 | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | 7:30 PM | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | RR stay on the move with another early-season away test. |
| Sun Apr 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | 3:30 PM | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | SRH’s second first-week fixture opens Sunday’s double-header. |
| Sun Apr 5 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | RCB close the week at home, while CSK play their second venue of the week. |
What the opening week tells you
This is a compact opening block, but the real story is how often the same teams reappear. RCB, CSK, DC and KKR all have two fixtures in the March 28 to April 5 window, so the week already asks them to move quickly from one assignment to the next.
For RCB, the standout thread is simple: they open at home and close the week at home. For CSK, the contrast is in the venues, with tests in Jaipur and then Chennai.
DC have one of the shortest gaps in the week, with games in Lucknow on April 1 and Delhi on April 4. KKR also have a fast reset, starting in Mumbai and returning to action in Kolkata on April 2.
That leaves the rest of the field with a different kind of early rhythm. SRH and LSG both show up on the April 5 double-header, while PBKS, GT, RR and MI all get at least one early-season outing inside the first-week window.
The two double-header days
| Date | Afternoon fixture | Evening fixture |
|---|---|---|
| Sat Apr 4 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians — 3:30 PM, Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals — 7:30 PM, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Sun Apr 5 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants — 3:30 PM, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings — 7:30 PM, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
These are the opening week’s pressure-point dates because they cluster repeat appearances for the teams already carrying extra mileage. DC are back on Saturday after their April 1 game, SRH return on Sunday, and RCB and CSK finish the week in a marquee evening slot in Bengaluru.
The other key detail is the shape of the weekend itself. April 4 and April 5 are the only double-header days in the first week, so the calendar shifts from a steady run of single matches into a denser finish that sets up the next phase of the season.