Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli (Video grabs)

NEW DELHI: It was a night of dominance, emotion and a touch of romance as Virat Kohli lit up the IPL 2026 opener — both with the bat and a heartwarming gesture towards wife Anushka Sharma.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!After steering Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a commanding six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kohli turned towards the stands and blew a flying kiss to Anushka. The Bollywood star, seated alongside RCB Women’s players including captain Smriti Mandhana, responded with her own flying kiss and a smile as the crowd erupted in cheers.The brief exchange quickly went viral, becoming one of the defining images of the season opener and adding a personal touch to an already electric evening at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.WATCH:

Kohli, Padikkal power RCB’s clinical chase

Kohli showcased his enduring class with an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls, laced with five fours and five sixes, as RCB chased down a daunting 202 in just 15.4 overs.Reflecting on his return to T20 cricket after a long break, Kohli said, “Whenever I come back to play, it’s 120 percent. I’m not coming back underprepared, in fact, the extra rest helps me mentally freshen up.”He added, “You don’t want to just hold on to a spot; you want to keep performing and keep putting in the work for the team.”Impact substitute Devdutt Padikkal set the tone with a blistering 61 off 26 balls, while Rajat Patidar chipped in with a quickfire 31, ensuring the chase was wrapped up with ease.Kishan shines but SRH fall shortPut into bat, SRH rode on a sparkling 80 from stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan and a late flourish from Aniket Verma (43 off 18) to post 201/9.Despite a strong total, their bowling attack struggled to contain RCB’s aggressive batting. “We’ll be a little more cautious with the bowling… we might be stronger from the next game,” Kishan admitted after the match.RCB’s win also came on an emotional night, with players wearing black armbands and observing a minute’s silence in memory of fans lost in last year’s tragic stampede.

Virat Kohli once again showed why he is the heartbeat of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, steering his side to a dominant six-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 season opener on Saturday. The former India captain hit an unbeaten 38-ball 69 as RCB chased down 202 in just 15.4 overs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Reflecting on his performance, Kohli said, “It’s good to get back out there. The last T20 game I played was the final last year, but the way I batted in the recent one-day series really helped me stay in that momentum. I wasn’t playing shots that I don’t usually play… these breaks help me mentally. I stay fresh, I stay excited. Whenever I come back to play, it’s 120%.” The chase was powered by a brilliant 26-ball 61 from impact substitute Devdutt Padikkal. Kohli lauded his young partner’s performance: “Outstanding knock. Right from the word go, I had plans of going aggressive in the powerplay. But when I saw him play, I was like, just keep putting him back on strike. He completely took the game away from the opposition. I even told him, that shot he hit off the slower ball over mid-on for six… just keep going. He’s hitting the ball amazingly well.” Kohli also emphasised the importance of team contribution over individual records: “As a player, you don’t want to just hold on to a spot; you want to keep performing and keep putting in the work for the team.” RCB’s chase was anchored by Kohli and Padikkal’s 101-run stand for the second wicket, after the team lost opener Phil Salt early. Kohli’s innings included five fours and five sixes, with some trademark shots like the straight six that hit the sight screen, and a swat flick executed with minimal movement, demonstrating his mastery of timing and placement. Earlier, SRH had posted 201/9, with stand-in captain Ishan Kishan top-scoring with 80 off 38 balls, including eight fours and five sixes. Jacob Duffy, on IPL debut, impressed with figures of 3/22, dismantling SRH’s top order. Phil Salt also took a stunning one-handed catch in the deep to dismiss Kishan. Kohli, who now plays only 50-over cricket for India after retiring from Tests and T20Is, remains a key figure for RCB. “The kind of scheduling over the last 15 years meant there was always a risk of burnout. These breaks help me mentally… as long as you’re physically fit and mentally excited, both things come together nicely, then you’re able to contribute to the team’s cause,” he added. With this victory, RCB began their IPL 2026 campaign in style, honouring the 11 fans who tragically lost their lives at last year’s title parade with black armbands, empty seats, and a minute’s silence before the game.