The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 has already delivered a high-octane first half, and with ‘Revenge Week’ on JioStar around the corner, the stakes are only getting higher.
Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals continue to hold the top three spots, while teams in the second half of the table will be eager to turn the tide. With key rematches lined up and plenty of unfinished business from earlier encounters, all of it sets the stage for a blockbuster next phase of the tournament, according to a press release.
Here are five reasons why ‘Revenge Week’ promises unmissable action for fans.
Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians (May 2)
The ‘El Clásico’ of the IPL kicked off ‘Revenge Week’, with both star-studded sides struggling to string together consistent wins. CSK made short work of MI in the earlier meeting at the Wankhede Stadium. The trend continued in the reverse fixture too, as CSK managed to earn a convincing win over their arch-rivals, the Mumbai Indians.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians (May 10)
A marquee clash to close out Revenge Week, with plenty riding on it, far beyond just the points. MI haven’t quite cracked these big rivalries in recent seasons and lost the earlier fixture against RCB while chasing a big total at home. While RCB look solid in their title defence, MI will hope their spearhead Jasprit Bumrah rediscovers his rhythm to counter an explosive RCB top order that has been relentless for the second season running. With two high-profile fixtures in this phase, it could well be a make-or-break stretch for MI, while RCB will aim to carry on their momentum.
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders (May 3)
SRH opened their account this season against KKR in their earlier meeting, and since then, the narrative has only grown stronger. KKR were on a steady upsurge with back-to-back wins after a difficult run, while SRH had surged with five consecutive victories and were firmly in the hunt for a top-four spot. However, the Knight Riders managed to exact revenge winning this match against the Sunrisers.
Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans (May 9)
The sight of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi punishing the all-international GT bowling unit while smashing the second-fastest century of IPL history at the Sawai ManSingh Stadium in Jaipur was one for the ages. But with RR coming into this fixture on the back of a tight win over GT in Ahmedabad, defending 15 off 12, Shubman Gill and Co. will be keen to avenge that loss, especially after finding some rhythm in recent games. RR’s top order has enjoyed taking on GT’s pace attack, and if they get another strong start, it could once again tilt the game early. While GT lead the overall head-to-head 6-3, the recent 3-3 split reflects how competitive this matchup has become.
Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings (May 3)
The contest marked Shreyas Iyer’s PBKS debut last year and is now the clash between the two sides led by the Indian ODI and Test captain and India’s ODI vice-captain, which are built around their explosive top orders. Iyer missed his maiden IPL century by just three runs in that fixture last year, but has since led his side to win both games against GT. The Titans however managed to win this clash against the Kings.
Jiostar expert Aakash Chopra said, “When you look at where both teams are on the table, this isn’t just a rivalry or a revenge match; it’s also about sustenance and staying alive in the tournament. CSK were convincing in the earlier meeting, so they come in with that edge, but MI know they can’t afford another slip-up at this stage. It’s about momentum as much as points now, and in a contest like this, one good performance can completely reset a campaign. MI will definitely be hoping for that, more than ever, for someone to take them through as Tilak Varma did against GT.”
JioStar expert Irfan Pathan said, “There will be memories of that knock against GT last season, both for our ‘Fearless Prodigy’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the GT bowlers, because it was so unexpected, a teenager taking on the best when his team was struggling to win games. This time, though, the tables have turned. RR have managed to hold on to a spot in the top four, while GT are slowly gathering momentum. 400 runs at a strike-rate of 230 is outrageous for the youngster in the season so far, and it will be interesting to see if RR’s young core fires again on what look like flat wickets in Jaipur.”