Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has given his verdict after the schedule was announced for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League on Wednesday, March 11.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled the partial schedule for IPL 2026, confirming the match dates, venues, and timings for all ten franchises. The tournament is set to run from March 28 to May 31, featuring 70 league-stage matches before the competition moves into the playoffs and the grand final.
However, the board has currently released fixtures only for the first phase of the tournament. The remaining schedule will be announced later, taking into consideration the upcoming state election schedules in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Assam.
After the schedule was announced, Pathan labelled RCB’s highly anticipated clash against the Mumbai Indians as the biggest game among the first 20 matches. The game is set to be played on Sunday, April 12, in a mouth-watering encounter. It is the biggest game in this phase, with many big superstars taking part in it, according to him.
“It is going to be a housefull, and you want to see these superstars. The quality of cricket that you are going to get in this match, in terms of bowling, batting and six-hitting ability, you won’t get to see a bigger match than this. And it is understandable too. Rohit Sharma, the way his form has been for the last two years, has been magnificent. But Virat Kohli, I will be really looking forward to the style and the approach he bats with. He will also be very refreshed,” said Pathan via JioStar.
The left-hander further noted that even though some of the stars are coming off after a break, they will be ready for the challenge. He also claimed that this game is the biggest game in this phase of the competition.
“Rajat Patidar’s form has been a bit lean in domestic cricket, but he will now return as an IPL-winning Captain. Jitesh Sharma was left out of the Indian team, but before that, he played some good knocks as well. And then, Bhuvneshwar Kumar in bowling. So, in terms of quality cricket and the atmosphere at the Wankhede Stadium, I think this is the biggest game of the schedule as of now,” he concluded.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host Sunrisers Hyderabad for the opening clash of the IPL 2026 on March 28. They will also be facing Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
