Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) began their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign on a poignant note as they walked out at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium as defending champions for the first time.
The 2025 champions paid tribute to the 11 lives lost during their ill-fated victory parade last year, as players from both RCB and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) observed a moment of silence, wore black armbands, and the stadium authorities honoured the victims with reserved seats in the stands.
Once the action began, RCB started brilliantly with debutant Jacob Duffy making an immediate impact. Duffy bowled four overs on the trot, dismantling SRH's top order with three wickets in the powerplay and finishing with figures of 3/22.
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However, SRH stabilised through Heinrich Klaasen and Ishan Kishan, who stitched together a 97-run partnership for the fourth wicket off 53 balls, shifting momentum back towards the visitors.
The turning point arrived in the 14th over, and it needed something exceptional to break the stand. Klaasen attempted to take on a slower delivery, but the lack of pace forced him to mistime the shot, sending the ball high rather than long towards deep midwicket.
Patrolling the boundary, Phil Salt had to backpedal and with the rope just inches away, he showed sharp awareness to halt his momentum at the right moment and complete the catch without making contact with the cushions.
A lengthy third-umpire review followed, scrutinising every angle, before the dismissal was upheld.
Take a look at that catch on the IPL website here: WATCH - Salt's brilliant grab in the deep
Salt was not done. Later in the innings, with Kishan looking to accelerate, the RCB opener produced an even cleaner effort to halt the SRH captain's innings at 80 off 38 balls.
Chasing a powerful slice over backward point, Salt sprinted across the turf, dived full stretch to his right, and plucked the ball one-handed just above the ground near the boundary.
The catch, completed at full extension and at pace, removed Kishan who was looking set to run away with a big score.
Here's a look at Salt's one-handed brilliance to get rid of Kishan.
Kishan's 80 and 24-year-old Aniket Verma's late burst of 43 off 18 balls helped SRH post 201/9 in the IPL season opener.
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