The Indian Premier League 2026 rolls into its second match with a high-voltage clash as Mumbai Indians take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, March 29. With both sides boasting explosive line-ups and match-winners across departments, fans can expect a thrilling contest under the Mumbai lights.

Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, will look to make full use of their home advantage and start their campaign strongly. Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders, under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, are aiming to bounce back after a disappointing previous season with a revamped squad.

MI head into the contest with a powerful batting unit. The return of Rohit Sharma at the top adds stability, while the dynamic duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma provides firepower in the middle overs. The inclusion of Quinton de Kock and Sherfane Rutherford further strengthens their batting depth, making them a formidable unit at home.

KKR, on the other hand, have built a well-rounded side with a mix of youth and experience. Aggressive opener Finn Allen and all-rounder Cameron Green add firepower, while the experienced spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy provides control in the middle overs. Finisher Rinku Singh remains a key asset in crunch situations.

MI vs KKR: Head-to-Head Record in T20

Matches played: 35 | Mumbai Indians won: 24 | Kolkata Knight Riders won: 11

Probable XI of Both Teams

Mumbai Indians: Quinton de Kock (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sherfane Rutherford, Hardik Pandya (c), Will Jacks, Rajangad Bawa, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande

Impact Player: Naman Dhir / Deepak Chahar

Kolkata Knight Riders: Finn Allen (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Blessing Muzarabani

Impact Player: Kartik Tyagi

Also READ: IPL 2026 Squads: Complete list of Indian and overseas players in all 10 teams

Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report

The Wankhede Stadium is known for its batting-friendly surface, offering true bounce and a quick outfield that rewards aggressive stroke-play. Pacers can extract some swing early on, especially with the influence of the sea breeze, but once the ball gets older, batters tend to dominate.

Spinners may find some grip as the game progresses, but dew in the second innings often reduces their effectiveness. As a result, teams winning the toss usually prefer to bowl first and chase under lights.

IPL stats and records at Wankhede stadium

• Total matches: 123
• Matches won batting first: 57
• Matches won bowling first: 66
• Average 1st innings score: 170
• Average 2nd innings score: 151
• Highest total recorded: 235/1 (20 Ov) by RCB vs MI
• Lowest total recorded: 67/10 (15.2 Ov) by KKR vs MI
• Highest score chased: 214/4 (19.3 Ov) by MI vs RR
• Lowest score defended: 118/ 10 (18.4 Ov) by SRH vs MI

Also READ: From Mayanti Langer to Sahiba Bali: Complete list of star presenters for IPL 2026

BENGALURU: A seemingly genuine connection on a dating app turned into a costly deception, with a 29-year-old software engineer losing Rs 18.7 lakh and was left emotionally devastated. Advik (name changed), a resident of New Thippasandra, in his complaint with East Cyber Crime police, stated that it all began on Nov 4, 2025, when he connected with a woman on dating app Flutrr. She introduced herself as Anjali Kushlani from Mumbai. After a few days, they moved to WhatsApp, speaking daily and building what appeared to be a serious relationship. After two weeks, he assumed that she was rich from her conversations and the photos she sent him. Advik told her he was from a poor family and lived in a slum area. Gaining his trust with reassurances about his modest background, the woman promised to support his growth in future. “I only want a good man,” she told him. The conversation soon shifted to online trading. Despite Advik’s initial reluctance, as he had already taken a loan to construct his house, she persuaded him to invest a small amount, assuring him of guidance. Following her instructions, he joined a Telegram channel linked to a trading platform and made his first deposit of Rs 40,000 on Nov 28. Early transactions showed small profits, even allowing a withdrawal of $100 (Rs 8,000), which further strengthened his trust. Anjali then shared another trading link with him on WhatsApp. Encouraged to invest more, Advik began borrowing money from friends, eventually depositing Rs 5.6 lakh by Dec 25. He insisted that Anjali meet him; she promised to do so on his birthday. Advik lost his younger brother on Jan 14 this year. The fraud took a darker turn when he was unable to withdraw funds, with the platform citing trading conditions and telling him that he did not have Rs 10,000 profit or loss. Anjali suggested that he carry out a couple of more trades, after which he could withdraw the money. He was emotionally vulnerable, and she maintained contact without asking him to invest more, expressing concern and deepening his trust. In Feb, she intensified pressure, weaving promises of marriage and citing her “wealthy family expectations” to push him into investing larger sums, stating that they would need at least Rs 4 crore for marriage. Under constant persuasion, he took a loan and added Rs 10 lakh, followed by additional deposits, while she appeared to “match” his contributions by adding Rs 5 lakh to maintain credibility. He again invested Rs 3.1 lakh; in total, he invested Rs 18.7 lakh. By mid-March, the trading account reflected activity and profits. But on March 21, communication abruptly stopped. Calls went unanswered, and messages were undelivered. When Anjali resurfaced briefly, she claimed her house had been raided by the Enforcement Directorate and demanded an additional $1,000. By then, Advik realised he had been duped. A case has been registered under Information Technology Act and BNS Section 318 (cheating).

A month into the Middle East conflict, its ripple effects are felt across economies worldwide. The crisis was triggered on February 28, when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran, setting off a chain of events that has tightened Tehran’s grip over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. This narrow sea passage, linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, remains one of the world’s most critical energy routes. At its narrowest, it spans just 29 nautical miles, with limited navigable channels for shipping. Carrying around 20 million barrels of oil daily, nearly a quarter of global seaborne trade, any disruption here has far-reaching consequences. As supplies come under strain, countries are scrambling to manage the fallout while cushioning consumers through a mix of policy responses. While some have raised fuel prices, others restructured taxes to protect consumers.

Vietnam

Vietnam consumers have breathed a sigh of relief as the country has lowered fuel prices. Faced with a sharp spike in fuel costs, Vietnam rolled out emergency measures to bring costs under control. Authorities have suspended environmental protection taxes on petrol, diesel and aviation fuel until mid-April, in a bid to steady the domestic market. The trade ministry described the step as “an urgent and effective solution to stabilize the petroleum market and ensure national energy security amidst the escalating conflict in the Strait of Hormuz, which is creating the ‘biggest energy bottleneck ever’.” The move has led to a steep fall in prices, with petrol dropping by roughly 26% and diesel by more than 15% after earlier surges.

Venezuela

In Venezuela, prolonged high temperatures have intensified pressure on an already strained power system, prompting the government to scale back activity. Interim president Delcy Rodriguez announced a week-long suspension of work across the public sector, including education, as part of an electricity-saving drive. “During this Holy Week, I want to announce that I have decreed days off on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for the entire education sector,” she said, adding that the country had endured “45 days of high temperatures.” While essential services will remain operational, the step reflects ongoing challenges in managing electricity demand.

India

In India, the government has taken a range of steps to cushion consumers and companies from the ongoing energy supply crisis. With refining costs climbing sharply, the government reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre each, despite the impact on state revenues. At the same time, export duties were introduced on diesel and aviation turbine fuel to manage supply pressures. Officials insisted there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG, dismissing claims of disruption as a “coordinated misinformation campaign.” Domestic LPG availability remains stable, with production increased and states asked to expand commercial distribution.

Pakistan

Pakistan is facing mounting pressure from rising fuel costs, with the government adjusting prices selectively while trying to shield consumers. Kerosene prices have been increased by PKR 4.66 per litre to PKR 433.40, effective March 28, even as petrol and diesel rates remain unchanged at PKR 321.17 and PKR 335.86 per litre. Authorities said the decision aims to protect consumers from global price swings, with the state absorbing part of the burden through payments of PKR 95.59 per litre on petrol and PKR 203.88 per litre on diesel to oil marketing companies. At the same time, aviation fuel prices have surged sharply, rising for the fifth time in 28 days. A latest increase of PKR 5 per litre has pushed jet fuel to a record PKR 476.97 per litre, up from PKR 188 at the start of March — a jump of PKR 288. Airlines have already raised fares, with domestic one-way tickets on routes such as Karachi-Islamabad and Karachi-Lahore reaching up to PKR 40,000, while “chance seat” fares have surged by as much as 150%. Amid these pressures, work patterns are also adjusting in response to the energy strain, with measures aimed at reducing overall fuel consumption forming part of the wider response.

Egypt

Egypt has introduced a series of temporary restrictions to reduce energy consumption as fuel costs climb. Retail outlets, restaurants and cafes are now required to shut by 21:00 each night, alongside measures such as reduced street lighting and limited remote working. The government termed these “exceptional measures” in response to mounting pressure on energy supplies. Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouly said that the country’s petrol expenditure had more than doubled in recent months. Although tourism-related businesses are exempt, the wider economy is feeling the strain, particularly due to reliance on imported fuel.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is tightening energy use as supply disruptions continue to strain the country’s fuel system. With around 60 percent of its energy imported and limited reserves covering barely a month, authorities have reintroduced a QR-based rationing system. Weekly limits have been set, including eight litres for motorbikes, 20 for tuk-tuks, 25 for cars, 100 litres of diesel for buses and 200 for lorries. Fuel prices have also risen by about 33 percent since the start of the war, adding pressure on households. To curb consumption, the government has introduced a no-work-on-Wednesday policy, shutting offices and schools on that day. Alongside fuel shortages, Sri Lankan citizens are also struggling with disrupted fertiliser supplies which could push food prices higher, with estimates pointing to a potential 15% increase, further compounding the cost-of-living strain.

RCB’s Virat Kohli, left, and Rajat Patidar during the IPL 2026 opener. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru kicked off IPL 2026 in style, but skipper Rajat Patidar made it clear who stood at the heart of their dominant six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad — Virat Kohli.Chasing 202 at the M Chinnaswamy stadium, Kohli’s unbeaten 69 and Devdutt Padikkal’s explosive 61 powered RCB to victory with 26 balls to spare.