Written By Deepti Ratnam
Published By: Deepti Ratnam | Published: Apr 05, 2026, 12:18 PM (IST)
How to watch IPL 2026 free
Indian Premier League 2026 is already underway, and people in India are seeking convenient means to stream matches live. A lot of users believe they have to purchase an additional OTT subscription, which is not necessarily the case. Users with a Jio SIM can watch matches easily without the need to spend an additional amount of money on streaming services. Also Read: BGMI adds cricket league minigame during IPL season: Features, rewards, how to play
JioHotstar has the live streaming of IPL 2026. Matches may be watched on the app and the site. Matches in the afternoon typically commence at 3.30 PM whereas evening matches commence at 7.30 PM. Also Read: IPL 2026 live streaming: How to watch online; Check Vi, Airtel, Jio plans
Jio consumers are not required to make a direct subscription but can access the platform under the chosen recharge plans. This implies that users will be able to access live matches as part of their mobile plan benefits. Also Read: IPL 2026: Best Airtel, Vi, Jio prepaid plans with FREE JioHotstar subscription to enjoy cricket
Reliance Jio provides various prepaid schemes which are inclusive of free JioHotstar. These plans are offered at various prices, and hence the users can select according to their needs.
Other plans come with data add-ons that have one-time data benefits. The other ones are monthly or long-term plans that provide daily data, unlimited calling, and SMS. The plans are also associated with unlimited 5G in covered zones. The primary benefit is that customers can obtain mobile services and OTT streaming simultaneously.
Jio offers different plans like monthly, quarterly and annual plans. Monthly plans have a daily data limit of about 2GB of data as well as calling and SMS packages. Long-term plans have a validity of up to 365 days and have higher data benefits.
Data add-on packages are also available to users who just desire additional data and access to streams. These choices enable users to select a plan depending on using and budget.
On April 5, fans can watch two exciting matches. The first match features Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants at 3:30 PM in Hyderabad. The second match of the day is Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings at 7:30 PM at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The tournament started at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The first game was between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Sunrisers Hyderabad. The other important match to be played on the same day is between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super kings in the evening.
Users need to make sure that they have a plan that has JioHotstar. This may not be the case with every plan. Checking of validity and limit of data before recharging is also important.