The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) — organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) — ran from March 28 to May 31, 2026, featuring ten franchises competing across venues in India. The season delivered a fitting climax: defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) became only the third team in IPL history to successfully defend their title, following Chennai Super Kings (2010–11) and Mumbai Indians (2019–20).
Quick snapshot:
| Detail | Info |
| Season dates | March 28 – May 31, 2026 |
| Teams | 10 |
| Total matches | 74 (70 league + 4 playoffs) |
| Opening match | RCB vs SRH, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Champion | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (2nd consecutive title) |
| Runner-up | Gujarat Titans |
| Player of the Series | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) |
This article breaks down the schedule, points table, teams, match results, key stats, and the final — all sourced from official and reputable cricket reporting.
IPL 2026 Schedule
Each of the ten teams played 14 league matches in a round-robin format, followed by 4 playoff matches.
Because the season overlapped with state assembly elections in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, the BCCI released the schedule in two phases instead of all at once:
| Phase | Announced | Duration | Matches | Venues |
| Phase 1 | March 12 | March 28 – April 12 | 20 | 10 venues, incl. Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad |
| Phase 2 | March 27 | April 13 – May 24 | 50 (incl. 8 double-headers) | 12 cities |
Key points:
- The tournament opened on March 28, with defending champions RCB hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
- Kolkata and Chennai served as home venues for KKR and CSK respectively.
- Guwahati was designated a second home venue for Rajasthan Royals (RR).
IPL 2026 Points Table
Four teams made the playoffs after the 70-match league phase:
| Rank | Team | Points | Wins (of 14) | NRR | Status |
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) | 18 | 9 | 0.783 | Qualified (topped table) |
| 2 | Gujarat Titans (GT) | 18 | — | — | Qualified |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) | 18 | — | — | Qualified |
| 4 | Rajasthan Royals (RR) | 16 | — | — | Qualified on final league day |
RCB, GT, and SRH all finished level on 18 points, with Net Run Rate separating them at the top of the table. RR sealed the last playoff spot on the final day of the league stage by beating Mumbai Indians.
Elimination timeline:
| Date | Team(s) eliminated | Cause |
| May 10 | Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Mumbai Indians (MI) | LSG lost to CSK; MI lost to RCB same day |
| May 21 | Chennai Super Kings (CSK) | Lost to Gujarat Titans |
| May 23 | Delhi Capitals (DC) | Eliminated after PBKS beat LSG |
| May 24 (final day) | Punjab Kings (PBKS), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) | Missed the top four narrowly |
IPL 2026 Teams
Ten franchises competed in IPL 2026:
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
- Mumbai Indians (MI)
- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
- Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Rajasthan Royals (RR)
- Gujarat Titans (GT)
- Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Notable squads/captains:
| Team | Captain | Key players |
| Chennai Super Kings | Ruturaj Gaikwad | MS Dhoni, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Dewald Brevis |
| Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill | Sai Sudharsan, Kagiso Rabada, Rashid Khan, Rahul Tewatia |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | — | Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Rajat Patidar, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood |
GT, led by Shubman Gill, finished second in the league phase and reached the final. RCB’s campaign was built around a strong top order (Kohli, Iyer) and a disciplined bowling attack (Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Hazlewood).
IPL 2026 Match Results
Playoff format: Top 2 teams meet in Qualifier 1 (winner goes straight to the final); 3rd and 4th meet in the Eliminator (loser is knocked out); the Qualifier 1 loser plays the Eliminator winner in Qualifier 2 for the second final spot.
| Fixture | Date & Venue | Result |
| Qualifier 1: RCB vs GT | May 26, HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala | RCB won by 92 runs. RCB posted 254/5 — highest total in IPL playoff history — led by Rajat Patidar’s unbeaten 93 off 33 balls. GT bowled out for 162 (Rahul Tewatia 68). |
| Eliminator: SRH vs RR | May 27, Mullanpur | RR won by 47 runs. RR posted 243/8, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashing 97 off 29 balls. SRH bowled out for 196. |
| Qualifier 2: GT vs RR | May 29, Mullanpur | GT won, booking their place in the final against RCB. |
| Final: RCB vs GT | May 31, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | RCB won by 5 wickets to claim their second consecutive title. |
IPL 2026 Stats
Season totals (per IPL’s official records):
| Metric | Number |
| Fours | 2,332 |
| Sixes | 1,426 |
| Wickets | 835 |
| Dot balls | 5,686 |
| Batting average (season) | 29.89 |
| Bowling average (season) | 33.47 |
Individual award winners:
| Award | Player (Team) | Detail |
| Orange Cap | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) | 776 runs, average 48.50 (16 innings) |
| Purple Cap | Kagiso Rabada (GT) | 29 wickets from 17 matches, best figures 3/25 |
| Highest individual score | KL Rahul | 152 vs Punjab Kings, strike rate 226.86 |
| Most Valuable Player | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) | 436.55 MVP points across 16 matches |
| Fair Play Award | Punjab Kings | — |
Other leading performers:
- Shubman Gill (GT) — 732 runs
- Sai Sudharsan (GT) — 722 runs
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB) — 28 wickets
- Jofra Archer (RR) — 25 wickets
IPL 2026 Final
Royal Challengers Bengaluru completed their title defense with a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on May 31.
How it unfolded:
- GT batting first: Lost both openers inside the powerplay. Washington Sundar’s unbeaten 37-ball 50 helped GT reach a respectable 155/8. Rasikh Salam took 3/27; Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood picked up two wickets each.
- RCB’s chase: Openers Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer put on a rapid 62-run stand, taking Kagiso Rabada — the tournament’s leading wicket-taker — for 37 runs in his first two overs.
- GT fightback: Rashid Khan removed Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya in the ninth over, giving GT brief hope.
- Finish: Kohli held firm, finishing unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls to seal the win in 18 overs.
Awards:
- Player of the Match: Virat Kohli
- Player of the Series: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Conclusion
IPL 2026 was a season shaped by a shifting schedule around state elections, a fiercely contested playoff race that went down to the final day of the league stage, and a dominant Royal Challengers Bengaluru side that became only the third franchise to defend the IPL title. From Rajat Patidar’s record-breaking Qualifier 1 innings to Virat Kohli’s composed unbeaten 75 in the final, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s breakout season with both bat and MVP points, IPL 2026 reaffirmed why the tournament remains one of the most competitive T20 leagues in the world.
FAQ’S
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), beating Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets in the final.
March 28 – May 31, 2026.
10 teams, 74 matches total — 70 league + 4 playoffs.
Orange Cap: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (776 runs). Purple Cap: Kagiso Rabada (29 wickets).
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Three times: CSK (2010–11), MI (2019–20), and RCB (2025–26).
Also Read
Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings Match Scorecard – IPL 2026, 68th Match
Sources
- Britannica — Indian Premier League 2026
- Olympics.com — RCB beat GT in IPL 2026 final
- Whereig.com — IPL 2026 Schedule
- News on Air — BCCI Announces IPL 2026 First Phase Schedule
- News on Air — BCCI Announces IPL 2026 Second Phase Schedule
- Olympics.com — IPL 2026 Playoffs: Qualified Teams and Standings
- MyKhel — IPL 2026 Points Table
- Outlook India — IPL 2026 Playoffs Preview
- IPLT20.com — Qualifier 1: RCB vs GT – Match Report
- Business Standard — IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 Highlights
- Sportskeeda — GT vs RR, Qualifier 2 preview with Eliminator recap
- IPLT20.com — Qualifier 2: GT vs RR – Match Report
- IPLT20.com — IPL Official Homepage, 2026 Season in Numbers & Award Winners
- ESPNcricinfo — IPL 2026 Schedule, Fixtures and Results
- Sportskeeda — RCB vs GT, IPL 2026 Final: Award Winners & Records
