IPL 2026 Today April 4: Full Match Schedule, Probable Playing XI and Pitch Report

The TATA IPL 2026 season's first Saturday double-header promises a feast for cricket fans across India. Two blockbuster fixtures are on the card today — an afternoon clash in the capital followed by a high-voltage night game at the world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad. Here is everything you need to know.

Today's IPL 2026 Schedule at a Glance

Toss for both matches takes place 30 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Match 8: Delhi Capitals (DC) vs Mumbai Indians (MI)

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2026
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium (Feroz Shah Kotla), New Delhi
Match Start: 3:30 PM IST
DC Captain: Axar Patel | MI Captain: Hardik Pandya

Match Preview

Delhi Capitals enter their first home fixture of IPL 2026 with momentum after a convincing six-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants. Led by Axar Patel, Delhi sit third on the points table with two points and a strong net run rate. Star performer Sameer Rizvi smashed an unbeaten 70 to script the win, while T. Natarajan claimed three wickets with the ball.

However, there are concerns for DC. Their top order collapsed to 26/4 at one stage, with KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka both falling cheaply. That is the one area Axar Patel and team management must urgently address ahead of this high-voltage clash.

Mumbai Indians, captained by Hardik Pandya, arrive in Delhi riding a wave of confidence. They chased down a massive target against Kolkata Knight Riders in their opener — Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton both scored half-centuries in that record-breaking chase. The five-time champions are placed fourth with two points and are yet to lose in IPL 2026.

In 37 head-to-head meetings across IPL history, Mumbai Indians hold the upper hand with 21 wins compared to Delhi's 16.

Arun Jaitley Stadium — Pitch Report

The Arun Jaitley Stadium, one of India's most historic cricket venues with a capacity of around 35,000, has evolved significantly in recent years. What was once a slow, low-scoring ground has been transformed into a batting paradise.

• Surface: Flat black-soil deck offering consistent true bounce.
• Boundaries: Short square boundaries of approximately 60–65 metres — a nightmare for bowlers.
• Batting conditions: Excellent. Batters can trust the pace and play their shots freely from ball one.
• Pace bowling: Modest assistance, primarily in the first two overs with the new ball.
• Spin bowling: Effective, especially in the middle overs. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav know exactly how to exploit this surface.
• Dew factor: Not applicable — this is a daytime fixture (3:30 PM start), so dew will not influence play. The toss is theoretically less critical.
• Rain note: The pitch was kept under covers after recent rains in Delhi. Some initial moisture may assist seamers early on, making bowling first an option for the toss winner.
• Par / competitive total: 180–200 runs in the first innings.

Delhi Weather Forecast (April 4, Afternoon)

• Temperature: Around 31°C
• Humidity: High
• IMD Alert: Yellow warning issued — possible thunderstorms and light rain with gusty winds (30–40 kmph) in the afternoon
• Impact: If rain stays away, high humidity will make for taxing fielding conditions. Brief interruptions remain possible.

Probable Playing XI — Delhi Capitals

1. Pathum Nissanka (Opener)
2. KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper / Opener)
3. Nitish Rana (Batsman)
4. Tristan Stubbs (Batsman)
5. David Miller (Batsman)
6. Axar Patel — Captain (All-rounder)
7. Sameer Rizvi (All-rounder)
8. Vipraj Nigam (Spinner)
9. Kuldeep Yadav (Spinner)
10. Lungi Ngidi (Pacer)
11. Mukesh Kumar (Pacer)

Impact Player: T. Natarajan
Injury concern: Mitchell Starc (shoulder/elbow) — doubtful.

Probable Playing XI — Mumbai Indians

1. Rohit Sharma (Opener)
2. Ryan Rickelton (Wicketkeeper / Opener)
3. Suryakumar Yadav (Batsman)
4. Tilak Varma (Batsman)
5. Hardik Pandya — Captain (All-rounder)
6. Sherfane Rutherford (All-rounder)
7. Naman Dhir (All-rounder)
8. Mayank Markande (Spinner)
9. Allah Ghazanfar (Spinner)
10. Trent Boult (Pacer)
11. Jasprit Bumrah (Pacer)

Impact Player options: Shardul Thakur / Mitchell Santner / Corbin Bosch

Head-to-Head Record (DC vs MI)

Key Player Battles to Watch

• Jasprit Bumrah vs KL Rahul — Bumrah's swing and pace against Rahul's technique under pressure.
• Kuldeep Yadav vs Rohit Sharma — A classic wrist-spinner vs destructive opener contest.
• Trent Boult vs Pathum Nissanka — Early swing bowling against DC's attacking opener.
• Axar Patel vs Suryakumar Yadav — SKY's 360-degree hitting versus Axar's tight left-arm spin.

Match Prediction

With a flat pitch and short boundaries at Kotla, both batting lineups are expected to thrive. Mumbai Indians' explosive top order — Rohit, Rickelton, and Suryakumar — makes them slight favourites. However, Delhi's spin duo of Axar and Kuldeep can be decisive on this surface, and a strong middle-order performance from DC could shift the contest. Expect a close, high-scoring thriller.

Match 9: Gujarat Titans (GT) vs Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Date: Saturday, April 4, 2026
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Match Start: 7:30 PM IST | Toss: 7:00 PM IST
GT Captain: Shubman Gill | RR Captain: Riyan Parag

Match Preview

Gujarat Titans return to familiar home territory at the world's largest cricket stadium seeking their first win of IPL 2026 after a narrow defeat to Punjab Kings in Chandigarh. Despite that setback, there were positives — Shubman Gill made a composed 39, and Prasidh Krishna impressed with a three-wicket burst. The home conditions in Ahmedabad, where GT have historically been near-unbeatable, give them confidence heading into this fixture.

Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, arrive as the form team of the early season. Led by Riyan Parag, RR delivered a commanding all-round performance to beat Chennai Super Kings in Guwahati, dismissing CSK for just 127. Pacers Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger provided early breakthroughs, while Ravindra Jadeja — who made a high-profile trade move from CSK before the season — chipped in with crucial wickets. Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already set IPL 2026 alight with a breathtaking 52 off just 17 balls against CSK.

Rajasthan Royals currently top the IPL 2026 points table with a dominant net run rate of +4.171. Gujarat Titans are placed seventh and are desperate for a win.

Narendra Modi Stadium — Pitch Report

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is one of the most celebrated batting venues in world cricket. With a capacity exceeding 1,30,000, the atmosphere under the lights is electric.

• Surface: Red soil pitches offering true, consistent bounce — ideal for attacking stroke play.
• Boundaries: Square boundaries of around 65 metres with straight boundaries up to 78 metres — a ground that rewards big hitting.
• Batting conditions: Exceptional. One of the highest run-scoring venues in IPL. Gujarat Titans themselves once posted 233 at this ground against Mumbai Indians in the 2023 Qualifier.
• Pace bowling: Early bounce and carry assist fast bowlers in the powerplay. After that, conditions ease for batters.
• Spin bowling: Effective during the middle overs. Rashid Khan will be the key spinner to watch.
• Dew factor: Heavy. This is a night match — dew builds rapidly after the powerplay, making the white ball difficult to grip and spinners harder to control. Chasing teams gain a significant advantage as the game progresses.
• Toss impact: High. All captains in IPL 2026 so far have elected to bowl first. Both Shubman Gill and Riyan Parag are expected to follow suit.
• Average first-innings score (IPL 2025): 216 runs. Any total above 220 would be highly competitive.

Ahmedabad Weather Forecast (April 4, Evening)

• Temperature: High of 33°C / Low of 22°C
• Humidity: Low — approximately 27%
• Wind: Steady westerly at 9 mph
• Rain probability: 10% — minimal risk
• Sky: Sunny during the day; partly cloudy by nightfall
• Impact: Near-perfect playing conditions expected. No rain interruptions forecast. Dew will be the primary factor influencing the second innings.

Probable Playing XI — Gujarat Titans

1. Sai Sudharsan (Opener)
2. Shubman Gill — Captain (Opener)
3. Jos Buttler (Wicketkeeper / Batsman)
4. Washington Sundar (All-rounder)
5. Glenn Phillips (Batsman)
6. M. Shahrukh Khan (Batsman)
7. Rahul Tewatia (All-rounder)
8. Rashid Khan (Spinner)
9. Kagiso Rabada (Pacer)
10. Ashok Sharma (Pacer)
11. Mohammed Siraj (Pacer)

Impact Player: Prasidh Krishna

Probable Playing XI — Rajasthan Royals

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal (Opener)
2. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (Opener)
3. Riyan Parag — Captain (Batsman)
4. Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper / Batsman)
5. Shimron Hetmyer (Batsman)
6. Ravindra Jadeja (All-rounder)
7. Jofra Archer (Pacer)
8. Nandre Burger (Pacer)
9. Sandeep Sharma (Pacer)
10. Ravi Bishnoi (Spinner)
11. Brijesh Sharma (Spinner)

Impact Player: Donovan Ferreira

Head-to-Head Record (GT vs RR in IPL 2025)

GT hold the advantage at the Narendra Modi Stadium. However, RR come into this game with significantly better momentum and are considered slight favourites.

Key Player Battles to Watch

• Rashid Khan vs Yashasvi Jaiswal — The premier spinner of the tournament against one of India's most dangerous young left-handers.
• Jofra Archer vs Shubman Gill — Express pace and bounce versus GT's technically sound captain-opener.
• Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vs Mohammed Siraj — The teenage phenom versus Siraj's swinging new ball.
• Jos Buttler vs Nandre Burger — Buttler, facing his former side, against the South African pacer who took early RR wickets in the opener.

Match Prediction

The Narendra Modi Stadium's pitch and dew conditions heavily favour the chasing side, making the toss outcome significant. Rajasthan Royals carry superior form and batting depth — with Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi, Parag, Hetmyer, and Jadeja, they have firepower throughout the lineup. Gujarat Titans will rely on home advantage, Rashid Khan's brilliance, and the in-form Sai Sudharsan and Shubman Gill to challenge the Royals. Expect a high-scoring contest, with totals well above 200 likely for both sides.

IPL 2026 Points Table — After April 3

Table updated after PBKS vs CSK, April 3. DC, MI, GT, RR matches of April 4 yet to be played.

Where to Watch — Live Streaming & Broadcast

• TV (India): Star Sports Network (Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 2 Hindi)
• Online streaming (India): JioHotstar app and website
• Toss (Match 8): 3:00 PM IST | Toss (Match 9): 7:00 PM IST

Disclaimer: Probable Playing XIs listed above are based on pre-match analyst assessments and are subject to change at the toss. Pitch and weather conditions are projected assessments ahead of play and may vary. All match timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST).