IPL-2026: RCB defeated Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in league-stage match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai

Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in a league-stage match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai last night. Chasing a huge target of 241 runs set by the RCB, the Mumbai Indian managed to score only 222 runs at the loss of 5 wickets.

It’s Ro-Ko time in the IPL and if the broadcasters have not quite made a big splash of it yet, it could be because the two will be on opposite sides of the duel at the Wankhede. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli remain box office, as compelling as rivals as they are as teammates, and this promises to be a blockbuster contest on Sunday night in Mumbai.

A clash between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru is always a mouth-watering one, if not quite the El Clasico – an honour generally reserved for the season’s face-offs between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. But the new Ro-Ko factor adds a new dimension to the contest, with both sides coming off a mauling at the hands of a Rajasthan Royals unit powered by a certain Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in their respective last matches.

Both Rohit, who will turn 39 later this month, and Kohli (37) may not have exactly set the stadiums afire, but they have made reasonably good starts to the season, striking at around 168-180, with each scoring a half-century in the three matches their sides have played. Rohit, albeit ephemerally, even held the Orange Cap. Now in the autumn of their careers, they continue to influence the outcome of contests. Game-changers still, as much as they were in their spring, their teams’ fortunes will depend on the starts they provide upfront.

But Kieron Pollard had a different view on the star-power and the match-up. “As you said, it’s the Rohit-Kohli show. I look at it as Mumbai Indians versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and let the individuals enjoy this phase of their careers,” the MI batting coach said, playing down the emphasis on individuals in a team game.

In another match yesterday, Gujarat Titans defeated the Lucknow Super Giants by 7 wickets at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Chasing a target of 165 runs, Gujarat Titans overhauled the score in 18.4 overs.

In IPL Cricket, Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad today. The match will begin at 7:30 PM.