IPL 2026 opening week schedule and storylines
IPL 2026 opening week runs from March 30 to April 5, 2026, there are seven confirmed matches in that window, and the table below also includes the March 28 and March 29 openers for context.
Note: The first two matches are included only for context; the opening-week window starts on March 30.
| Match | Date | Time (IST) | Teams | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | Mar 28 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Match 2 | Mar 29 | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Match 3 | Mar 30 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| Match 4 | Mar 31 | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali |
| Match 5 | Apr 1 | 7:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| Match 6 | Apr 2 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Match 7 | Apr 3 | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| Match 8 | Apr 4 | 3:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| Match 9 | Apr 4 | 7:30 PM | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| Match 10 | Apr 5 | 3:30 PM | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| Match 11 | Apr 5 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
Opening-week flow
The opening-week arc is clean: five straight evening games from March 30 to April 3, then back-to-back double-header days on April 4 and April 5. That gives the first seven fixtures a steady midweek rhythm before the schedule opens out across the weekend.
The venue trail also moves fast, shifting from Jaipur, Mohali, Lucknow, Kolkata and Chennai into the two double-header days in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. The opening-week fixtures bring in CSK, RCB, MI, KKR, SRH, DC, RR, PBKS, GT and LSG.
The corpus lists a 74-match format, while one The Hindu snippet mentions 84 matches, so this tracker sticks to the confirmed opening-week slate.
Match-by-match storylines to follow
Match 3: Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings on Mon Mar 30, 7:30 PM IST at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur is the first full-week heavyweight night after the opening two games. It sets the tone for the first proper run of the schedule, with the week now fully underway.
Match 4: Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans on Tue Mar 31, 7:30 PM IST at IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali keeps the opening-week thread on the same evening slot for a second straight night. It is the first clean midweek handoff from one fixture to the next.
Match 5: Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals on Wed Apr 1, 7:30 PM IST at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow marks the midpoint of the five-night stretch. The calendar stays tight, with no break before the week shifts again.
Match 6: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thu Apr 2, 7:30 PM IST at Eden Gardens, Kolkata brings one of the biggest venue changes of the week. After three straight 7:30 PM starts, the schedule now lands at Eden Gardens for the first time in the opening window.
Match 7: Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings on Fri Apr 3, 7:30 PM IST at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai closes the five-night stretch before the first double-header weekend begins. It is the final single-match evening before April 4 turns into a two-game day.
Match 8: Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians on Sat Apr 4, 3:30 PM IST at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi opens the first double-header day. The opening-week tracker now moves into afternoon cricket for the first time.
Match 9: Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals on Sat Apr 4, 7:30 PM IST at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad completes the Saturday double-header. That makes April 4 the first day with two confirmed matches in the opening week.
Match 10: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants on Sun Apr 5, 3:30 PM IST at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad starts the final double-header day. The opening-week pace stays high, with another afternoon slot before the last match of the run.
Match 11: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings on Sun Apr 5, 7:30 PM IST at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru is the final Sunday prime-time finish that closes the opening-week run. It ends the first seven-day window with a late-night cap in Bengaluru.
Season-length note
The corpus lists a 74-match format, while one The Hindu snippet mentions 84 matches, so this tracker sticks to the confirmed opening-week slate.
Key takeaway
This IPL 2026 opening week schedule and storylines tracker gives you the seven-match run from March 30 to April 5, the two double-header days on April 4 and April 5, and the full early-season path after the first two games. The schedule also moves across nine venues after the March 28 and March 29 openers, making it easy to scan by date, time, team and ground.