The schedule for the first phase of the Indian Premier League 2026 has been announced. The 19th season of the grand league will kick off on the 28th of March with Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians will begin their hunt for the sixth title on the 29th of March when they host the men in purple and gold, Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Mumbai Indians will be playing four matches in the first phase of the season. The key clashes against KKR and the defending champions, RCB, will be taking place at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, giving the MI fans a chance to see their favourite players in the flesh.
Mumbai Indians Schedule for IPL 2026
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Mumbai Indians will begin their campaign on the 29th of March, playing against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The five-time champions will then travel to Delhi to play the Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on the 4th of April. This will be their first afternoon game of the season.
It will be a quick turnaround for them between the second and third game, as the Hardik Pandya-led side will then travel to Guwahati to clash against the Rajasthan Royals at their second home. The two teams will play at the Barsapara Stadium on the 7th of April.
MI will then return home for the blockbuster clash with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The Wankhede Stadium will be packed with fans as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Suryakumar Yadav will take the field. The presence of Kohli from the RCB camp would be enough to challenge the loyalty of Mumbaikars, as there would be enough support for both teams in the home game for MI.
MI vs KKR
The Mumbai Indians will be opening their campaign in a crucial clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders. The MI vs KKR rivalry has given the fans many unforgettable moments, despite the one-sided nature of the head-to-head record. In 35 games between the two teams, the Mumbai Indians have been on the winning side 24 times. However, in recent years, the three-time champions, too, have recorded some important wins against MI. There have been a few close matches involving the two teams over the years, and the fans at Wankhede Stadium on the 29th of March would be hoping for another closely contested clash as two of the most successful teams take on each other.
MI vs RCB
MI’s second home game will come against the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Thanks to Virat Kohli, RCB has always been a crowd favourite. Meanwhile, with their title-winning campaign last year, they will certainly be a side to reckon with on the field as well. In 34 games between the two teams, MI holds a 19-15 lead over its opponents. The MI vs RCB clash on the 12th of April will feature some of the biggest names in the sport, including the likes of Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Mumbai Indians Squad
Hardik Pandya (C), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ryan Rickleton, Jasprit Bumrah, Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch, Naman Dhir, Quinton de Kock, Will Jacks, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Sherfane Rutherford, Deepak Chahar, Mayank Markande, Robin Minz, Raj Bawa, Raghu Sharma, Allah Ghafanzar, Ashwani Kumar, Danish Malewar, Mohammed Izhar, Atharva Ankolekar and Mayank Rawat
