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IPL 2026 Week 1 Highlights: Chasing Teams Dominate Early Matches
IPL 2026 opened with thrilling chases as RCB set a record and Sameer Rizvi leads scoring. Punjab and Rajasthan Royals also impress in week one.
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Dumtika Editorial
April 5, 2026 · 2 min read
(Image: Dumtika Editorial)
IPL 2026 Week 1 Roundup: Chasers Rule, Young Guns Fire
The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League exploded into life with nine matches across the opening week (March 28 – April 4), and one trend was unmistakable: six of the first seven games were won by teams batting second. Bowlers, beware this IPL belongs to the chasers so far.
Opening Night Fireworks
Defending champions RCB set the tone with a statement win, chasing down SRH's 201/9 in just 15.4 overs the fastest 200-plus chase in IPL history. Debutant Jacob Duffy dismantled SRH's top order with figures of 3/22, while Devdutt Padikkal smashed 61 off just 26 balls and Virat Kohli anchored the chase with an unbeaten 69 off 38. Ishan Kishan's 80 off 38 for SRH went in vain on a night Chinnaswamy belonged entirely to the home side.
The Sameer Rizvi Show
DC's Sameer Rizvi sits atop the Orange Cap chart with 160 runs in two matches. His crowning moment came in Match 8 against Mumbai Indians, where his 90 off 51 balls laced with 7 fours and 7 sixes powered DC to a six-wicket win chasing 163. That knock is the second-highest individual score by an impact player in IPL history. After a quiet stint with CSK, Rizvi's resurgence has been the story of the week.
Punjab Kings Mean Business
PBKS sit pretty with two wins from two. Priyansh Arya blitzed 39 off just 11 balls as Punjab chased down CSK's 209 with five wickets to spare. Cooper Connolly leads PBKS's charge with 108 runs while uncapped pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak has already bagged 5 wickets in two games a Purple Cap contender to watch.
Rajasthan Royals Surge to the Top
RR lead the points table with the best NRR (+2.233) after two clinical wins. Dhruv Jurel hammered 75 off 42 balls against GT, and Ravi Bishnoi's 4-wicket haul choked Gujarat's middle order in a thriller decided by just six runs. SRH bounced back from their opening loss with a 65-run demolition of KKR in Kolkata.
Key Stats at a Glance
Orange Cap: Sameer Rizvi (DC) 160 runs. Purple Cap: Ravi Bishnoi (RR) & Vijaykumar Vyshak (PBKS) 5 wickets each. Gujarat Titans are winless after two defeats. The impact player rule continues fueling aggressive batting, keeping bowling attacks under relentless pressure.
Week 2 brings blockbusters including SRH vs LSG in Hyderabad and RCB vs CSK under lights in Bengaluru. The IPL rollercoaster is just getting started.
