IPL 2026 opening week rivalries guide
The IPL 2026 opening week rivalries guide is a fast scan of the confirmed rivalry fixtures from 28 March to 6 April. It maps the opening-week matchups by date, time, and venue so readers can check the biggest clashes at a glance.
Opening-week schedule
| Date | Match | Time (IST) | Venue | Rivalry note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Mar 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7:30 PM IST | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | Season opener: RCB vs SRH |
| 29 Mar 2026 | Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders | 7:30 PM IST | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | Sunday night: MI vs KKR |
| 30 Mar 2026 | Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM IST | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | Early-week marquee: RR vs CSK |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans | 7:30 PM IST | IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali | Midweek rivalry: PBKS vs GT |
| 1 Apr 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals | 7:30 PM IST | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | Midweek rivalry: LSG vs DC |
| 2 Apr 2026 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad | 7:30 PM IST | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Eden clash: KKR vs SRH |
| 3 Apr 2026 | Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings | 7:30 PM IST | M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai | Friday night: CSK vs PBKS |
| 4 Apr 2026 | Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians | 3:30 PM IST | Delhi | Double-header opener: DC vs MI |
| 4 Apr 2026 | Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals | 7:30 PM IST | Ahmedabad | Double-header nightcap: GT vs RR |
| 5 Apr 2026 | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants | 3:30 PM IST | Hyderabad | Sunday double-header opener: SRH vs LSG |
| 5 Apr 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM IST | Bengaluru | Sunday double-header headliner: RCB vs CSK |
| 6 Apr 2026 | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings | 7:30 PM IST | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | Closing week fixture: KKR vs PBKS |
Rivalry spotlight
Opener
The week begins with RCB vs SRH in Bengaluru on 28 March at 7:30 PM IST. That sets the tone for a fixture-heavy run through the first week.
Early-week marquee nights
The first run of night games brings MI vs KKR in Mumbai, RR vs CSK in Jaipur, PBKS vs GT in Mohali, LSG vs DC in Lucknow, KKR vs SRH at Eden Gardens, and CSK vs PBKS in Chennai. Every one of those matches lands at 7:30 PM IST.
Saturday double-header
4 April splits into two rivalry slots. DC vs MI starts at 3:30 PM IST in Delhi, before GT vs RR follows at 7:30 PM IST in Ahmedabad.
Sunday double-header
5 April follows the same double-header pattern. SRH vs LSG opens the day at 3:30 PM IST in Hyderabad, then RCB vs CSK closes it at 7:30 PM IST in Bengaluru.
Closing Eden Gardens fixture
The opening week wraps up with KKR vs PBKS on 6 April at 7:30 PM IST at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. That gives the week a second high-profile stop at the same venue.
This is the opening-week rivalry map, not a form guide or results tracker. All timings are in IST, with the confirmed fixtures laid out from 28 March to 6 April.