IPL 2026 opening week toughest schedules: RR, KKR and SRH face the hardest early runs
The early answer to the IPL 2026 opening week toughest schedules is clear: Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have the most demanding opening blocks from the confirmed March 28 to April 12, 2026 fixtures. RR carry the heaviest match load, KKR face the steadiest short-turnaround run, and SRH have the clearest travel chain across the first 20 matches.
This breakdown uses only the confirmed fixtures from Match 1 to Match 20, with the ranking built on match count, back-to-back timing, double-header days, and venue clustering.
Full Match 1 to Match 20 fixture table
The confirmed opening block runs from Match 1 on Mar 28 through Match 20 on Apr 12.
| Match No. | Date | Time IST | Teams | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sat Mar 28, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 2 | Sun Mar 29, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| 3 | Mon Mar 30, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 4 | Tue Mar 31, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mohali |
| 5 | Wed Apr 1, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| 6 | Thu Apr 2, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 7 | Fri Apr 3, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai |
| 8 | Sat Apr 4, 2026 | 3:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 9 | Sat Apr 4, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
| 10 | Sun Apr 5, 2026 | 3:30 PM | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 11 | Sun Apr 5, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| 12 | Mon Apr 6, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 13 | Tue Apr 7, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 14 | Wed Apr 8, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings | Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi |
| 15 | Thu Apr 9, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 16 | Fri Apr 10, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur |
| 17 | Sat Apr 11, 2026 | 3:30 PM | Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mohali |
| 18 | Sat Apr 11, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad |
| 19 | Sun Apr 12, 2026 | 3:30 PM | Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| 20 | Sun Apr 12, 2026 | 7:30 PM | Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
Ranked table: toughest opening-block schedules
| Team | Number of matches in opening block | Match dates | Travel/fixture burden | Why it ranks tough |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan Royals | 4 | Mar 30, Apr 4, Apr 7, Apr 10 | Four matches in 12 days, including the Apr 4 double-header day and three more games in a tight finish | RR have the heaviest early load by volume. They start on Mon Mar 30 vs CSK in Jaipur, then go to Sat Apr 4 vs GT in Delhi, before returning for Tue Apr 7 vs MI in Jaipur and Fri Apr 10 vs RCB in Jaipur. The key burden is the short gaps after the Apr 4 split-day fixture and the quick return to home and away movement inside one compact block. |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 4 | Mar 29, Apr 2, Apr 6, Apr 9 | Four fixtures spread across an early away match and then a cluster of home games with short recovery windows | KKR open on Sun Mar 29 vs MI in Mumbai, then play Thu Apr 2 vs SRH in Kolkata, Mon Apr 6 vs PBKS in Kolkata, and Thu Apr 9 vs LSG in Kolkata. The load is tough because the schedule asks for an early away trip followed by repeated home dates with limited breathing room between matches. |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 4 | Mar 28, Apr 2, Apr 5, Apr 11 | Starts away in Bengaluru, then moves to Kolkata, back to Hyderabad, and returns again on a split-day weekend | SRH begin on Sat Mar 28 vs RCB in Bengaluru, then face Thu Apr 2 vs KKR in Kolkata, Sun Apr 5 vs KKR in Hyderabad, and Sat Apr 11 vs GT in Hyderabad. That sequence creates one of the clearest travel chains in the opening block, with back-to-back fixture pressure across the Apr 2 to Apr 5 window and another return after the gap to Apr 11. |
| Mumbai Indians | 3 | Mar 29, Apr 4, Apr 12 | Three matches, but two of them fall on double-header days and the run includes two city shifts | MI start on Sun Mar 29 vs KKR in Mumbai, then go to Sat Apr 4 vs GT in Ahmedabad, before closing the block on Sun Apr 12 vs RCB in Mumbai. The burden is not just the three-match count; it is the fact that the middle fixture sits on a double-header day and the block ends with another same-day shift involving Lucknow and Mumbai. |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 3 | Mar 28, Apr 5, Apr 10 | Three matches in the opening 16 fixtures, with a long gap after the opener and then a short turnaround into Jaipur | RCB open on Sat Mar 28 vs SRH in Bengaluru, return on Sun Apr 5 vs CSK in Bengaluru, and then travel for Fri Apr 10 vs RR in Jaipur. The schedule is less crowded than RR or KKR, but the burden comes from the long wait after the opener followed by a quick reset into an away game five days later. |
| Chennai Super Kings | 4 | Mar 30, Apr 3, Apr 5, Apr 8, Apr 11 | Four games in the opening 13 fixtures, with a travel-heavy sequence and one double-header weekend | CSK play Mon Mar 30 vs RR in Jaipur, Fri Apr 3 vs PBKS in Chennai, Sun Apr 5 vs RCB in Bengaluru, Wed Apr 8 vs DC in Delhi, and Sat Apr 11 vs PBKS in Mohali. This is a dense run because the fixtures keep moving from city to city with short gaps, including the Apr 5 double-header day and another quick reset into Apr 8 and Apr 11. |
| Delhi Capitals | 3 | Apr 4, Apr 8, Apr 12 | Three matches in nine days, with two home dates and a final away trip inside the same stretch | DC play Sat Apr 4 vs RR in Delhi, Wed Apr 8 vs CSK in Delhi, and Sun Apr 12 vs LSG in Lucknow. The burden is the tight spacing: one double-header day, one short home turnaround, and then a fast move to Lucknow to close the block. |
| Gujarat Titans | 3 | Mar 31, Apr 4, Apr 11 | One away opener, one double-header-day game, and a later away fixture after a short reset | GT begin on Tue Mar 31 vs PBKS in Mohali, then play Sat Apr 4 vs MI in Ahmedabad, and Sat Apr 11 vs SRH in Hyderabad. The schedule is lighter by volume, but the burden rises because the fixtures are spread around key travel points and include a double-header day in the middle. |
| Punjab Kings | 4 | Mar 31, Apr 3, Apr 6, Apr 11 | Four matches across an early away-home-home-away pattern with two short gaps | PBKS face Tue Mar 31 vs GT in Mohali, Fri Apr 3 vs CSK in Chennai, Mon Apr 6 vs KKR in Kolkata, and Sat Apr 11 vs CSK in Mohali. The run is demanding because it moves from Mohali to Chennai to Kolkata and back to Mohali, with limited recovery between several of those fixtures. |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 3 | Apr 1, Apr 9, Apr 12 | Three matches, but the last two sit close together and the final one is on a double-header day | LSG play Wed Apr 1 vs DC in Lucknow, Thu Apr 9 vs KKR in Kolkata, and Sun Apr 12 vs MI in Lucknow. The early home start is manageable, but the later away-to-home swing adds pressure, especially with the Apr 12 double-header day closing the block. |
Double-header days and why they matter
| Date | Matches | Cities | Why it matters for scheduling load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat Apr 4 | Match 8: Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals; Match 9: Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians | Delhi, Ahmedabad | RR, GT, and MI are directly affected. The split-day setup means one team is on the move while others have to manage a fast same-day reset. |
| Sun Apr 5 | Match 10: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders; Match 11: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | Hyderabad, Bengaluru | SRH, KKR, RCB, and CSK all sit inside a compressed two-city day, which adds travel pressure right after the Apr 4 double-header. |
| Sat Apr 11 | Match 17: Punjab Kings vs Chennai Super Kings; Match 18: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Gujarat Titans | Mohali, Hyderabad | CSK, SRH, GT, and PBKS are all involved. This is another short-turnaround day late in the block, with little recovery time before the final Sunday. |
| Sun Apr 12 | Match 19: Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians; Match 20: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Lucknow, Mumbai | MI are the key team here because they are involved in both fixtures and must handle a same-day city shift. RCB also finish the opening block on a compressed travel day. |
Quick read
The toughest early runs belong to Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. RR have the heaviest fixture count, KKR have the most consistent short-turnaround pattern, and SRH face the clearest travel chain from Bengaluru to Kolkata and back into Hyderabad.
Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru make up the next tier. MI are hit by two double-header dates, CSK have the busiest travel-heavy sequence, and RCB’s three-match run still includes a long gap, a home return, and a Jaipur trip.