April 18, 2026, is a significant date for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and it has nothing to do with the result of today's match against Delhi Capitals at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The defending champions walked onto this ground today and immediately achieved something that Mumbai Indians with five titles and Chennai Super Kings with five titles have not managed in the entire history of the IPL.

Record was set before a ball was bowled and the match itself is now being played inside it. Phil Salt have scored 63 off 38 balls in the powerplay and RCB are currently 146 for 4 after 15.1 overs with Tim David unbeaten on 26 looking to set a total worth defending.

The record RCB set today and why CSK and MI haven't got there yet

Today's match is RCB's 100th home game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium making them the first franchise in Indian Premier League (IPL) history to play 100 matches at a single home venue. The milestone is particularly poetic because it falls on April 18 2026, exactly 19 years to the day since the Indian Premier League began at this very ground in 2008 when RCB were bowled out for just 82 in the tournament's opening match.

The franchise that started their IPL home journey being dismissed for 82 are now the defending champions playing their 100th home game at the same venue. That is a full circle worth noting.

CSK and MI are both behind this landmark despite their superior trophy tallies. CSK's two-year suspension in 2016 and 2017 cost them significant home game tally and their occasional shifting of games to Pune and Ranchi over the years slowed the count further.

MI played several home games at the Brabourne Stadium and DY Patil Stadium in the early years and during the 2022 season when the tournament was hosted entirely across Maharashtra venues.

KKR at Eden Gardens are next in line to reach the mark. RCB got there first because of something simple and significant. They have never left the Chinnaswamy as their primary home. Nineteen years of loyalty to one ground and the century milestone is the reward for it.

Also READ: Delhi opts to field as Bengaluru celebrate Go-Green day with unchanged XIs at the Chinnaswamy

RCB vs DC: How the match is going and what Bengaluru are building toward

Delhi Capitals won the toss and elected to field first and Phil Salt immediately made them question whether that was the right call. He scored 63 off 38 balls with four fours and three sixes before Kuldeep Yadav dismissed him in the powerplay.

Virat Kohli looked sharp early with 19 off 13 balls before Lungi Ngidi got him in the sixth over trying to clear the infield. Devdutt Padikkal added 18 off 13 before Axar Patel dismissed him and Rajat Patidar fell for 8 to Mukesh Kumar just as he was finding his timing.

Four wickets in the middle period gave DC significant control through the middle overs with Mukesh Kumar taking 1 for 32 from four overs, Axar taking 1 for 16 from 2.1 and Kuldeep taking 1 for 27 from three overs. Tim David arrived and has brought the innings back with 26 off 16 balls including a six that brought up his 1000th IPL run.

Jitesh Sharma is at the other end on 3 off 8 with five overs to go and Royal Challengers Bengakuru looking to finish strongly in what is already a historic evening at the Chinnaswamy.

Also READ: RCB record in green jersey ahead of DC clash: Wins, defeats, history and the jinx