The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)and current New Zealand fast bowler, Adam Milne, has been ruled out of the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup due to a hamstring injury that he picked up in the SA20 when he was featuring for the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in their last group-stage clash against the MI Cape Town side. 

Adam Mille picked up the injury in his first over for the Eastern Cape, and scans have shown the extent of the injury as he had taken 11 wickets at 16.27 and an economy rate of 7.61 during the tournament before being replaced by Kyle Jamieson in the T20 World Cup squad.

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“We're all gutted for Adam. He'd worked so hard to get himself ready for the tournament and was looking back to his best in his eight games for the Eastern Cape Sunrisers. It's unfortunate timing for Adam, and we wish him a speedy recovery.” The head coach of the Blackcaps, Rob Walter, expressed on the news.

Kyle Jamieson replaces injured Adam Milne in T20 World Cup 2026

The lanky New Zealand pacer, Kyle Jamiesonj, has already been part of the ongoing five-match T20I series for the Kiwis against India as he ended with a nightmarish figure of 2/54 in his four overs during the opening clash of the series at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur, where the home side posted 238 runs for the lose of seven wickets in their allotted 50 overs.

“It's great that Kyle is already with us here in India. He's an integral member of our pace-bowling group and has hit the ground running on this tour. He's a hard worker with a good set of skills and experiences that will hold him in good stead for the tournament.” Walter shed light on the inclusion of Jamieson.

New Zealand had previously announced that Matt Henry and Lucky Ferguson may take brief periods of paternity leave during the World Cup, as a further traveling reserve will be added to the New Zealand squad before the tournament, which they will begin against Afghanistan on February 8 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

Adar Poonawalla, the owner of the vaccine maker Sriram Institute, officially confirmed on January 22 that he will be putting a strong and competitive bid for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 defending champions Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB) over the next few months as the franchise looked for its new owner before the new edition of the tournament.

The official confirmation came after the speculation began in September that he is one of the front-runners to buy the franchise after the exit of IPL chairman, Lalit Modi, who tweeted about the possibility of Diego India RCB’s current owners deciding to put the franchise up for sale.

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“Over the next few months, we will be putting in a STRONG and COMPETITIVE bid for @RCBTweets, one of the best teams in the IPL.” Poonawalla expressed on his official X account (formerly known as Twitter) as the news went viral in a short time around the social media platforms.

Adar Poonawalla shows interest in bidding for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of IPL 2026

The news comes at an interesting time as the RCB franchise’s valuation is at its highest after the maiden IPL title win in 2025. Even their franchise in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) had already won in 2024 and has a massive fan base, which is only going to grow over time. The celebrations of the IPL champions last year were marred by the tragic death of 11 fans in the Stampede case on June 04.

Watch the video here: 

Over the next few months, will be putting in a STRONG and COMPETITIVE bid for @RCBTweets, one of the best teams in the IPL.

— Adar Poonawalla (@adarpoonawalla) January 22, 2026

In November last year, Diego took the first step towards divesting his stake in the franchise, as in a filing with India’s market regulator, the company revealed that it was conducting a strategic review of his investment in the Bengaluru franchise through the Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited (RCSPL).

The Royal Challengers franchise was founded in 2008 by the United Speeds Limited before being chaired by Vijay Mallya as one of the original IPL teams. Diageo took control of the side indirectly by acquiring a majority stake in the United States.

MS Dhoni demonstrated his status as a respected cricket figure when he congratulated Royal Challengers Bengaluru for their first Indian Premier League title victory which occurred in 2025. The legendary Chennai Super Kings icon delivered his assessment of RCB's performance and dedication to their fans shortly before IPL 2026 began. 

Dhoni balances rivalry with respect and praise

At a recent brand event Dhoni spoke about RCB finally achieving their championship victory after 18 years of unsuccessful attempts. Dhoni maintained his competitive nature by stating that he wanted his team to win all tournaments because he belonged to CSK. Dhoni showed respect to RCB by presenting their achievement with honest acknowledgment of their accomplishment.

Dhoni expressed his gratitude toward RCB players. The RCB fans have shown excellent support to their team throughout their entire history. RCB fans maintain their team support during matches despite the teams facing difficult times. His remarks created a strong emotional response among fans of different teams especially RCB fans who remained loyal to the team through difficult times. The rival legend praised their dedication which showed their deep love for the game.

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From historic glory to home-ground uncertainty

The RCB team achieved their first title victory on June 3 2025 when they won the final match against Punjab Kings by six runs at Narendra Modi Stadium. Rajat Patidar led the team which demonstrated exceptional self-control during the entire season while achieving multiple breakthroughs of enduring obstacles.

The joyful atmosphere soon turned into a situation of uncertainty. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has not held any events since a fatal stampede occurred during the victory parade. The RCB team needs permission from officials before they can play their home games which makes their fans worry about IPL 2026 upcoming matches. Dhoni used his statement to show that respect and sportsmanship serve as essential values which define the IPL beyond its competitive nature and match outcomes.

The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is likely to begin on March 26, but there are concerns over the possible venues of few franchises, including Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB), whose home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, has not hosted a single game since the stampede case in June last year, which saw many people getting killed during the trophy celebration of the franchise.

The Rajasthan Royals (RR)and RCB will have to inform their home ground to the IPL Organization Committee by 27th of January. The BCC officials have given a deadline to the committee as Bengaluru can organize five matches at the DY Patel Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai and the rest to home games in Raipur.

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The final schedule of the IPL is expected to be released after the announcement of election dates in Tamil Nadu, Assam, and Bengal. The Bengaluru franchise is scared due to the Karnataka government’s law, as it has been trying to show that it wants to host the matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, but that’s not the case.

RCB to host five IPL 2026 games at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai

A top BCCI source has revealed that the Karnataka government has passed a law after the incident that happened in June last year, as under this law, if any such match or event is being held anywhere and if the incident occurs on the outer roads surrounding it, the organizers will be held responsible.

RCB wants to host its five home games at the DY Patil Stadium, but for that, it will need to obtain an NOC from the Mumbai Indians franchise. According to the rules of the tournament, whenever you want to host your home matches in any other franchise city, you have to get an NOC from that franchise.

The election dates are not announced yet which means the schedule of the league has been delayed but the likely cities this year will be Chennai, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai (Wankhede), Kolkata, Ahmedabad, New Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Dharamshala, Visakhapatnam, Guwahati, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Navi Mumbai (DY Patil), and Thiruvananthapuram.

The champions of the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB), on January 16, announced that it had proposed to install 300 to 350 AI-enabled cameras at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in a formal communication to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) ahead of the 2026 season of the tournament. 

They released a statement on the social media platforms where the RCBfranchise committed to bear the entire one-time cost of the initiative, which is estimated at approximately INR 4.5 crore, as it will help in the crowd management at the ground in the international and IPL games.

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“The advanced surveillance technology will empower the KSCA and law enforcement agencies to efficiently manage crowd movement, ensure disciplined queueing, monitor unauthorized access through real-time tracking of entries and exits, and significantly enhance overall fan safety.” The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) expressed in a statement that they released on the social media platforms. 

RCB takes major step in crowd management at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium

This is a part of the franchisees' Care initiative that they started after the tragic stampede outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium during their trophy celebration on June 4 after winning the title against the Punjab Kings in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. That claimed the lives of eleven fans and injured 15 others.

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A post shared by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@royalchallengers.bengaluru)

The team had won the title for the first time in 18 years, and a victory parade was organized to celebrate the success, but no security measures were observed, resulting in many lives being taken. No professional match has been played at the ground ever since, and the prospect of RCB playing outside Bengaluru looms large. Even the 2025/26 season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) took place at the BCCI Center of Excellence in Bengaluru.

In terms of international games, the ground will not host a single game of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, which will begin on February 07 in India and Sri Lanka.

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru won’t be hosting any games of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League, as per the new reports. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has been denied permission to host the Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT) 2025/26 games at the ground by the state government and police due to safety and security concerns. 

The same move is expected to take place in the IPL as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)won’t be playing any of the games at home. The defending champions communicated with the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune for their home games, but the latter is likely to host the games for the Rajasthan Royals. 

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The Times of India (TOI) has reported that the Dr DY Patil Cricket Stadium in Navi Mumbai and the Shaheed Veer Narayan Simgh International Stadium in Raipur. The former has hosted several renowned games of the WPL, Women’s World Cup, and the Indian women’s side.

RCB likely to play IPL 2026 home games in Navi Mumbai and Raipur

Meanwhile, the ground in Raipur, which hosted the previous IPL games of the 2015 season for the Delhi Capitals, will shortly host the second T20I clash of the five-match series against New Zealand. The crowd will be excited for the potential RCB games if they play their games in the presence of some star India and overseas players- including Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Rajat Patidar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and others.

Since Venkatesh Prasad took over as the KSCA president earlier this month, there have been several activities around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and multiple meetings have been held with the government officials about the chance of the top-flight cricket, including the IPL, being played at the venue. They remain hopeful that the situation will change.

The KSCA had earlier moved the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches involving Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant from Alur to Chinnaswamy Stadium due to the security and logistical challenges. They are hopeful that it will be able to open the two stands, which could have seated 2000-3000 spectators.

The Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 is going to be a spectacular cricket and entertainment event, as the rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh and the actress Jacqueline Fernandez will be the leading performers at the opening ceremony in Navi Mumbai.

The first match of the upcoming WPL season, which is the fourth one, is set to take place on the 9th of January at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, between the reigning champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

WPL opening show confirmation with stars

The WPL organizers declared the performances through a post on their official social media account. Regarding Honey Singh's show, the league remarked that the rapper would be the one to make the season efficient with an energetic pre-game performance.

Jacqueline Fernandez is also going to be in the limelight with her unique performance on the first day that pays tribute to women, confidence, and the rapid rise of women's sports in India. The atmosphere of glamour and vivacity that her participation would create is going to be there even before the cricketing action commences.

Tournament kicks off with MI vs RCB match

The first match of the season, that is the clash between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is going to be a great start with women's cricket having some of the biggest stars in the cast. The match, which is supposed to take place after the opening ceremony, is going to be on air from 7:30 PM IST.

Venues and schedule highlights

WPL 2026 is going to be organized at two venues:

• Navi Mumbai will see a total of 11 matches, including the afternoon double-headers on January 10 and 17
• Kotambi Stadium will be the location for the other 11 matches.

In a groundbreaking change for the tournament, the final will be on a weekday, with the title clash taking place on Thursday, February 5. This decision has been made in order to overlap with the men's T20 World Cup that starts soon after.

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January–February period for WPL is a first

The window of scheduling is another important change in this season's edition. For the first instance, WPL will be wintered in January–February, after its previous times of holding and being near the IPL window.

The structure is the same as before:

• Five franchises - Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Giants, and UP Warriorz
• Double round-robin league stage
• The top team qualifies directly for the final
• The teams placed second and third enter the Eliminator

Mumbai Indians have been crowned champions twice so far, while RCB had their first title in 2024.

Live streaming and telecast details

The WPL 2026 opening ceremony and matches will be available for viewing by fans:

• Live Streaming: JioCinema app and website (no cost)
• TV Telecast: Star Sports Network

With the stars performing at the opening ceremony and a packed timetable of elite international and Indian talent, WPL 2026 is going to be its biggest and most competitive season.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) enter the Women’s Premier League 2026 with renewed focus and high expectations. In 2024, the team achieved a championship victory, but that was followed by inconsistent play in 2025. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is looking to show they have returned to being a strong and powerhouse franchise again. They have a deep roster filled with aggressive batting talent, top-notch spinners, and strong all-around players. Led by Smriti Mandhana, RCB is one of the most entertaining teams to watch in 2026.

As the competition continues to develop, all teams are becoming more competitive. With that growth comes a decreased margin for error for all teams. The 2026 Women's Premier League (WPL) could be a turning point for RCB because it will test the depth of the roster, clarity of leadership, and ability to adapt when put under pressure. Although RCB has retained their core strengths, there are still gaps and some unknowns. A SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis will examine the current environment and the future outlook of Royal Challengers Bangalore as they enter another high-profile WPL season.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru WPL 2026 Schedule

Strengths: Explosive Batting and Spin Depth

The major strength of the RCB team is their impressive batting lineup. Smriti Mandhana continues to be one of the most reliable openers in women's cricket by setting the tone for the match from the beginning stages. Richa Ghosh also provides plenty of batting power during both the mid and late overs of the match, allowing the team to score a large amount of runs at will in both chases as well as high-scoring games. The overseas players such as Grace Harris also contribute to the depth of their batting lineup by giving them more opportunities with their aggressive style of play.

Another strength of RCB is their range of different spinners available. Options like Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav, Prema Rawat, and Linsey Smith enable RCB to adapt to all different pitch conditions. Having such a depth of spinners gives the captain a significant advantage in controlling the game during the middle and late overs of a match, breaking up partnerships between two batsman, and placing additional pressure on the batting team, which is a very important element in T20 cricket.

Weaknesses: Missing Experience and Middle-Order Stability

RCB faces a challenge going into the ongoing WPL 2026, with one of the key weaknesses being that they do not have a seasoned all-rounder who would naturally be able to contribute with both bat and ball. The shortcoming of this type of reliable batsman at the all-important middle order could well be putting undue pressure on the top-order batsman, especially if they lose early wickets in the innings.

The other concern is the inconsistency of RCB's middle order. Although there is talent available, not all of the players have been in a high-stakes WPL scenario; therefore, if RCB does not manage to ensure that they have stabilised their innings between overs 7 and 14, they could find themselves losing momentum in important matches.

Opportunities: Breakout Performers and Leadership Growth

The 2026 WPL offers a big opportunity for the younger Indian players in the RCB team to establish themselves as regulars in the side. The veterans returning from injury and others who may have played limited minutes throughout the league to date have a great opportunity to show what they are capable of doing at the very highest level, but also to create a long-term niche for themselves in the RCB camp.

Smriti Mandhana will also seek to continue building on her leadership potential during this year's tournament. A strategically focused campaign that offers players with well-defined roles could help RCB regain its consistency levels and overall team spirit. Lastly, for the international players, WPL provides them with a unique opportunity to enhance their reputations around the world through performances that have a positive influence on the game.

Threats: Injuries and Rising Competition

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will continue to face serious injury issues leading up to and during this season of the WPL. If any of RCB's key players experience injuries during this time, the team will struggle to maintain a high level of performance due to increased pressure on their middle order and a lack of depth in terms of available players. In addition, the current WPL schedule does not leave RCB with much time to recover from injuries, so they must be diligent in managing their pitchers' workloads in order to maximise the effectiveness of their pitching staff.

Another challenge RCB must face is the increase in competitive play from other franchises. Teams like the Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals have significantly improved over the last year, with each franchise boasting a very strong roster and a deep bench. In this level of competition, RCB cannot afford to make even the most minor of tactical mistakes or to have an off night during any particular playoff game. 

Conclusion

However, RCB does have a roster that is certainly capable of challenging for the WPL title in 2026, providing they can address their middle-order issues and do a good job of managing their players' fitness levels. RCB's strengths lie in their explosive batting and strong spin options, as well as their emerging young talent, which gives RCB fans hope for the future. If RCB can maintain alignment of leadership, strategy, and execution, RCB will again be positioned among the top four teams in the WPL.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Full squad

Smriti Mandhana (C), Richa Ghosh (WK), Sayali Satghare, Shreyanka Patil, Georgia Voll, Nadine de Klerk, Radha Yadav, Lauren Bell, Linsey Smith, Prema Rawat, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Grace Harris, Gautami Naik, Prathyoosha Kumar, D. Hemalatha

The former Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB) and Uttarakhand left-arm pacer, Rajan Kumar, failed a dope test and was handed a provisional suspension by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) in a rare case involving a cricketer, as the news went viral. Failure in dope tests has become quite a rare case, as it happened after a long time.

The 29-year-old Rajan Kumar’s dope sample was found to contain anabolic steroids- Drostanolone and Methenolone, as well as Clomiphene. The latter is generally used as a medication to treat infertility in women, but also has the power to restore the testosterone level among men. The left-arm pacer last featured against Delhi in Uttarakhand’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025/26 Group D game on December 8.

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The Haridwar-born has picked up eight wickets in eight innings of first-class cricket at an average of 35.87 and a strike rate of nearly 60 with the best bowling figures of 2/20 in an innings.

RCB bowler fails in dope test in rare case 

In List A cricket, Rajan Kumar has celebrated 14 wickets in nine innings at an average of 24.85 and the strike rate of just under 30 at an economy rate of five, thanks to the best bowling figures of five for 28 in the innings, which remains its only five-wicket haul in a small List-A career. In the case of the shortest format, he has featured in 26 games for Uttarakhand.

In those 26 innings, the left-arm pacer has grabbed 32 wickets at an average of 21.31, a strike rate of 16.3, and an economy rate of close to eight, with the best bowling figures of four for 37 in an innings. His best bowling figures came against Rajasthan during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, as against Delhi, he ended up with 1/28.

Uttarakhand has recorded two victories in five clashes during the ongoing season of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, as their two wins came against Goa and Punjab. They have two massive defeats against Himachal Pradesh by 95 runs and against Maharashtra by 129 runs, and are at the penultimate position in Group C, just ahead of Sikkim.

The Women’s Premier League 2026 is yet to begin, but the tournament has already delivered major talking points. Just days before the January 9 opener, several big names have withdrawn, forcing franchises into late reshuffles and opening the door for fresh talent to step into the spotlight.

Squad reshuffle as overseas stars miss WPL 2026

Australian all-rounders Ellyse Perry and Annabel Sutherland have both pulled out of the season citing personal reasons. Perry’s withdrawal is a significant blow for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, given her towering influence in the league. Across 25 WPL matches, Perry has scored 972 runs at an extraordinary average of 64, often anchoring RCB’s innings in pressure situations.

RCB have named Indian all-rounder Sayali Satghare as her replacement at a reserve price of ₹30 lakh. While Satghare has limited WPL experience so far, this opportunity could prove career-defining as she looks to cement her place at the highest level.

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For Delhi Capitals, Sutherland’s exit leaves a noticeable gap in their all-round department. The franchise has responded by bringing in Australian leg-spinner Alana King for ₹60 lakh. King, who previously played for UP Warriorz, offers control, wicket-taking threat, and vast international exposure, strengthening Delhi’s spin arsenal.

Withdrawals open doors for new talent in WPL 2026

UP Warriorz have also been forced into a change after USA pacer Tara Norris opted out following her selection for the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Nepal. The franchise quickly roped in Australian all-rounder Charli Knott at ₹10 lakh, backing her domestic experience and versatility.

With the fourth edition of the Women's Premier League set to run until February 5 across Navi Mumbai and Vadodara, these changes highlight the league’s growing global pull. While fans will miss familiar superstars, WPL 2026 now promises new heroes, fresh narratives, and opportunities for emerging players to make their mark on the biggest stage.