IPL Dispatch: RCB Go Green In Saturday Double-Header; Black Market Ticket Scam Rocks Chinnaswamy

When Gujarat Titans (GT) opened their campaign with two consecutive defeats, the naysayers were quick to dismiss Shubman Gill’s side. However, as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 wrapped up the fifth round on Friday, the Titans are officially back in the title race with a dominant five-wicket victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

It certainly wasn’t the best game that we had seen this season. There were no 200+ totals or flashy performances – Gill, Cameron Green, and Mohammed Siraj notwithstanding – but it did cement two truths. One, GT are here to challenge for their second IPL title. Two, KKR are having one of the worst seasons in the league’s history.

If KKR fans thought last season’s eighth-placed finish was poor after their title-winning campaign in 2024, this season must feel like a nightmare. The Knight Riders remain rooted at the bottom of the table with just a solitary point in six games.

The lowest points tally in a single season has been four, achieved by the Deccan Chargers in IPL 2008 and Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2013. The way Ajinkya Rahane’s side has performed this year, it won’t be a shocker if they – for lack of a better word – ‘improve’ upon this record.

GT, on the other hand, are flying high. The Titans were down and out after two miserable defeats to begin their campaign. However, their win tonight at the Narendra Modi Stadium marks their third straight victory, which has seen them rise to fourth in the table, trailing leaders Punjab Kings (PBKS) by just three points.

There are plenty more twists and turns to come in the coming weeks as we enter the mid-stage of the season. Until then, let’s look at the biggest IPL 2026 talking points and stories in the last 24 hours.

Saturday’s Double-Header

Are you not entertained? The famous quote from ‘Gladiator’ must have been on the IPL organisers’ minds as they prepared two mouthwatering clashes on Saturday to kick off the weekend.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be in action against DC at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium at 3:30 PM, followed by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) facing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

The first game will be under the spotlight as fans will wonder about the status of Virat Kohli. The veteran batter, for the first time in his illustrious career, played as an impact substitute during the five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He top-scored for his side with 49 off 34, helping RCB chase down the target of 147 in 15.1 overs.

Kohli’s demotion to the impact substitute role is surely due to the ankle injury he suffered against Mumbai Indians (MI). It remains to be seen whether he will be fit enough to play both innings against DC or feature as a substitute batter again.

One veteran who fans will not see on Saturday is MS Dhoni. The wicketkeeper-batter has missed the start of the season with a calf injury. He will return to the CSK fold either for the April 23 match against MI or the April 26 match against GT.

RCB Go Green

For RCB, the match against DC will be a special occasion as they will roll out their annual “Go Green” initiative, which started in 2011. The Royal Challengers will ditch their traditional red and blue jerseys for green kits made from recycled plastics and waste materials. These waste items are collected from around M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and the city of Bengaluru.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar will present a sapling to DC captain Axar Patel at the toss instead of the conventional pennant.

However, RCB’s record in the green jersey is a cause for concern, with just five wins in 15 games. There have been nine defeats and one no result.

Photo of the Day

As a welcome break from batters dominating matches, bowlers were the stars during tonight’s GT vs KKR match. The Titans bowlers were on fire, dismissing the Knight Riders for just 180 in 20 overs.

Mohammed Siraj was key, taking two wickets and conceding just 23 runs in his four overs. He impressed on the field as well, taking two catches to dismiss Rovman Powell and Ramandeep Singh.

Jay Shah, Sourav Ganguly In Stands

While there was plenty to talk about on what happened on the pitch during GT’s match against KKR, there was one moment off the pitch that stole the limelight.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah and former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly were seen in the general stands at the Narendra Modi Stadium, watching the match among other regular fans instead of from the luxury air-conditioned VIP suites.

Interestingly, Ganguly is a former player and the first captain of KKR. He is currently the Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals.

Chinnaswamy Black Market Ticket Scam

The glamour and glitz of IPL inevitably bring with it the darker parts of cricket. Recently, an elaborate scam where tickets for RCB’s games at the Chinnaswamy were sold on the black market was exposed by Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch. A canteen cook was arrested for over 180 tickets – worth over INR 17.5 lakh – and reselling them for inflated prices.

The tickets, usually for matches with high demand like RCB vs LSG, were bought in bulk under corporate names and then sold illegally. The probe has already led to the identification of insiders involved in the matter, including a Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) member.

Quote of the Day

GT captain Shubman Gill, who is usually a baby-faced assassin, sported a much-changed look against KKR. He featured a well-trimmed stubble beard that made him look every bit as tough as he usually is.

On being asked after the match whether this new look is here to stay, Gill said, “Let’s see, let’s see. So far, wanted to do something a little bit different. So, so far so good. Kept it for three games, three wins. So let’s see.”

‘Three games, three wins’. Talk about a good luck charm.

Elsewhere…

Elsewhere, India women’s cricket team lost to South Africa by six wickets in the first T20 of their five-game series. India, batting first at Kingsmead, managed a competitive 157/7 in their 20 overs, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur scoring 47 not out off 33 balls. However, Laura Wolvaardt (51 off 39) and Annerie Dercksen (44 not out off 34) led the Proteas to 148/4 in 19.1 overs.

Meanwhile, New Zealand began their tour of Bangladesh with a 26-run victory in the opening ODI game at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka. Henry Nicholls (68 off 83) and Dean Foxcroft (59 off 58) took the Kiwis to 247/8, while Bangladesh were bowled out for 221 in 48.3 overs.

In other news from Asian cricket, Nepal have appointed Diprendra Singh Airee as their T20I captain, leaving out regular skipper Rohit Paudel from the squad for their two-match T20I series against the United Arab Emirates (UAE).