Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2026 opener at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday (March 28).
As the match is being played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, it is also a stark reminded of a poignant memory, a tragedy which took place after RCB’s IPL title win last year.
As the players are taking the field, both RCB and SRH players are seen wearing Black Armbands.
Why are RCB, SRH players wearing Black Armbands?
The players are wearing black armbands as a tribute to the 11 people who lost their lives amid a stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium last year while attending RCB’s victory parade. The stadium also witnessed a minute’s silence ahead of the match.
What happened that Day?
On June 4, 2025, joy turned to tragedy outside Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Royal Challengers Bengaluru had just won their maiden IPL title the previous day. Thousands of fans gathered for the team’s felicitation event, leading to severe overcrowding. A deadly crowd crush near the gates claimed 11 young lives, including teenagers and a school student, while over 50 others were injured.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, as RCB hosts Sunrisers Hyderabad at the same venue, the franchise is honouring the 11 fans with dignity. Eleven seats in the stands are permanently reserved and left empty for every home match, often draped with RCB flags or jerseys. Players wear practice jerseys with the number 11 and black armbands during matches as symbols of respect. A memorial plaque has also been installed near the stadium entrance.
RCB Bowl First in IPL 2026 Opener
Talking about the match, RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to field first. The Bengaluru side has handed debut to Abhinandan Singh and New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy. For the Sunrisers, Punjab batter Salil Arora is set to play his first match as well.