Men's IPL 2026 - Playoffs: Why Google Changed Its Homepage Just For Tonight's Match

Google's doodle today is a cricket celebration, marking the IPL 2026 knockouts that will end with a Grand Final on May 31 in Ahmedabad.

Google's doodle today signals that India's biggest cricket weeks are officially here.

Source : Google

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Google Doodle celebrates start of IPL 2026 playoffs today.
• Four teams begin knockout stage for championship title.
• Qualifier 1 pits RCB against GT tonight in Dharamshala.

Google Doodle Today: Google has updated its homepage doodle to mark the start of the Indian Premier League 2026 playoffs. The knockout stage begins today, May 26, with four teams, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Rajasthan Royals, all set to battle it out for the title. 

The first match of the playoffs, Qualifier 1 between RCB and GT, takes place tonight at 7:30 PM IST at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, with the Grand Final scheduled for May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

What Is The Google Doodle Today, May 26, 2026?

Today's Google Doodle marks the beginning of the IPL 2026 playoff stage, which gets underway after a 70-match league phase. The doodle highlights one of India's biggest sporting events, drawing attention to the knockout rounds that will decide this season's champion.

The four teams that made it through are Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who topped the table with a net run rate of +0.783, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad, who also finished on 18 points, and Rajasthan Royals, who grabbed the final spot with 16 points.

Why Is IPL 2026 Getting A Google Doodle?

The IPL is one of the most-watched cricket tournaments in the world, and the playoff stage draws massive attention across India and beyond. Google marking the occasion reflects just how significant the event is on the sporting calendar.

This year's playoffs carry an added layer of interest, with a generational storyline running through the tournament. Virat Kohli of RCB goes up against 15-year-old Rajasthan Royals batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has put together a remarkable season with 583 runs and 53 sixes. 

On the bowling side, Kagiso Rabada and Bhuvneshwar Kumar share the Purple Cap lead with 24 wickets each, while Sai Sudharsan leads the batting charts with 638 runs.

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