IPL 2026, Match 61: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Preview

The Punjab Kings host the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on May 17 in Match 61 of the 2026 Indian Premier League.

Punjab Kings come into this clash on the back of five successive losses after a brilliant start to the campaign in which they were unbeaten in their first seven games. They find themselves in a spot of bother, needing wins in their last two games, a fortune that they would not have expected after their early-season form. They were beaten by the Mumbai Indians in their last game, where they failed to defend a total of 201.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been one of the form teams in IPL 2026, having recorded eight wins in twelve games. They have all but qualified for the playoffs and will hope to push for a top-2 finish with a win against the Kings. They come off a victory against the Kolkata Knight Riders courtesy of a masterful century from the talismanic Virat Kohli.

The 2025 finalists meet for the first time this season. On that occasion, RCB prevailed and went on to lift the trophy. With both teams being in different positions in their season, this promises to be a mouth-watering clash between two solid outfits.

PBKS vs RCB: Match Details

PBKS vs RCB: Head-to-Head record

HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala: Pitch Report

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala is one of the most scenic and breathtaking venues in the country. Even if one sets aesthetics aside, it is still one of the most thrilling venues due to its batting-friendly nature. The black soil wicket is hard and offers consistent bounce, and aids seamers with lateral movement. Due to the higher altitude, the ball travels much faster, which makes scoring runs in boundaries and sixes significantly easier.

PBKS vs RCB: Predicted Playing XIs

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Cooper Connolly, Vishnu Vinod (wk), Suryansh Shedge, Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak

Impact Player: Prabhsimran Singh

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Jacob Bethell/Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (capt), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Venkatesh Iyer, Rasikh Salam, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Jacob Duffy

Impact Player: Devdutt Padikkal