Phil Salt shines on the field Ishan Kishanconcluded the intense showdown between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2026 IPL opener.Kishan’s 80 off 38 balls was a fluid knock and he looked ready for a century as he tried to drive the ball towards the boundary. The ball seemed destined to hit the ropes, but Salter had other ideas. He raced hard from the point of possession to his right, stretched out fully and made a one-handed catch for a stunning clearance that could be one of the catches of the season.This wasn’t the only moment Salt made an impact in the field. Earlier, he was involved in another crucial catch near the boundary. At mid-wicket, he settled for a lob but fell to the ground while completing the catch, raising doubts as to whether he had touched the pads. The decision was sent upstairs and after careful review the third referee ruled it clean, confirming the dismissal despite the obvious uncertainty. Heinrich KlassenFired, he walked away seemingly dissatisfied with the verdict.Kishan’s innings was the backbone of Hyderabad’s total. He led the team, scoring 80 runs off 38 balls with 8 fours and 5 sixes, and after an early setback, scored 97 runs for the fourth wicket with Klassen. Despite the powerful spell from SRH Jacob Duffy.However, Salter’s stunning strike turned the momentum in Bengaluru’s favor at a crucial moment. With Kishan gone, SRH lost some steam in the death overs and ended up with 201 for 9, a total that looked just below par considering the platform they had built.In a game that marked the return of IPL action to the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Salter’s fielding proved to be one of the defining moments of the innings.
