Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, the high-octane battle between the two strongest batting powerhouses, is set to take place in the 40th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Shreyas Iyer’s PBKS scripted history by registering the highest successful run chase in IPL history. The Kings have proven their immense strength in the batting line-up by chasing down a gigantic 265-run target against the Delhi Capitals.
RR, on the other side, suffered a 5-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad despite Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s magnificent 2nd IPL ton, playing a crucial role for his team to set a 229-run target.
With the Punjab Kings remaining the only unbeaten team in the tournament so far, let’s predict the Rajasthan Royals’ chances to secure a victory at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh and end their opponent’s winning streak this season.
This preview helps you analyze the head-to-head stats of PBKS vs RR, weather, and pitch report, key players, playing XI, and impact player choice for the forthcoming match.
Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals IPL 2026 Match Details
| Match Number in IPL 2026 | 40 |
| Date and Day | April 28, 2026 (Tuesday) |
| Venue | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| Seating Capacity | 38,000 |
| Match Timings | 07:30 pm IST |
| Wins and Losses | Punjab Kings: 6 Wins and 1 Abandoned Match |
| Rajasthan Royals: 5 Wins and 3 Losses | |
| Points and Net Run Rate (NRR) | Punjab Kings: 13 Points and +1.333 NRR |
| Rajasthan Royals: 10 Points and +0.602 NRR |
Head-to-Head Rivalry of PBKS vs RR in IPL
Rajasthan Royals lead the rivalry with a 17-13 margin out of 30 matches played across venues in IPL since 2008, and here are the head-to-head records:
| Total Matches Played | 30 |
| Winnings | PBKS: 13, and RR: 17 |
| Highest Innings Total | PBKS: 223/2 (in IPL 2020), and RR: 226/6 (in IPL 2020) |
| Lowest Innings Total | PBKS: 124/10 (in IPL 2013), and RR: 112/7 (in IPL 2009) |
| Winnings Batting First | PBKS: 08, and RR: 09 |
| Winnings Batting Second | PBKS: 04, and RR: 08 |
| Super Over Victories | PBKS: 01 (in IPL 2015), and RR: 0 |
PBKS vs RR Head-to-Head Rivalry at PCA Stadium, Mullanpur
Considering the head-to-head stats at the PCA Stadium in Mullanpur, PBKS have remained winless at home, having lost 2 games against RR.
| Total Matches Played (PBKS vs RR) at this venue | 02 |
| Winnings | PBKS: 0, and RR: 02 |
| Highest Innings Total at this venue (PBKS vs RR) | PBKS: 155/9 (in IPL 2025), and RR: 205/4 (in IPL 2025) |
| Lowest Innings Total (PBKS vs RR) | PBKS: 147/8 (in IPL 2024), and RR: 152/7 (in IPL 2024) |
| Winnings Batting First | PBKS:0, and RR: 01 |
| Winnings Batting Second | PBKS: 0, and RR: 01 |
| Super Over Matches at this venue (PBKS vs RR) | 0 |
5 Key Players To Watch During PBKS vs RR IPL 2026
| Role | PBKS Players | RR Players |
| Batsman | Priyansh Arya | Vaibhav Suryavanshi |
| Shreyas Iyer (Captain) | Yashasvi Jaiswal | |
| Wicketkeeper and Batsman | Prabhsimran Singh | Dhruv Jurel |
| Bowler | Yuzvendra Chahal | Ravindra Jadeja |
| Arshdeep Singh | Nandre Burger (Overseas) |
New PCA Stadium, Mullanpur: Weather, Pitch, and Toss Analysis For PBKS vs RR Match
- Weather: There are no rain threats during the PBKS vs RR match at MYSIC Stadium in Mullanpur, and here are the latest weather forecast reports.
- Temperature: 31°C
- Wind Speed: 13 km/hr
- Humidity: 25%
- Cloud Cover: 60%
- Dew Point: 12°
- Rainfall Chances: NIL
- Pitch: The pitch conditions at the new PCA stadium in Mullanpur offer a good scoring contest for both teams. As the match progresses, the surface becomes drier, assisting spinners in producing huge variations and grabbing wickets in the middle overs.
- Toss: With less dew factor expected for the upcoming match at the PCA stadium, the toss-winning captain should prefer batting first and try to accumulate competitive totals between 170 and 200. This is because batting second at this venue can be challenging, particularly during high-pressure run chases.
Predicted Main XI and Impact Player For PBKS and RR IPL 2026
Here is how PBKS and RR can build a formidable playing XI and choose the most reliable impact player for the upcoming match.
PBKS Predicted Starting XI and Impact Player vs RR:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Prabhsimran Singh | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 2. | Priyansh Arya | Batsman |
| 3. | Cooper Conolly (Overseas) | All-Rounder |
| 4. | Shreyas Iyer (Captain) | Batsman |
| 5. | Shashank Singh | All-Rounder |
| 6. | Marcus Stoinis (Overseas) | All-Rounder |
| 7. | Marco Jansen (Overseas) | All-Rounder |
| 8. | Xavier Bartlett (Overseas) | Bowler |
| 9. | Vijaykumar Vyshak | Bowler |
| 10. | Arshdeep Singh | Bowler |
| 11. | Yuzvendra Chahal | Bowler |
| 12. (IMPACT PLAYER) | Nehal Wadhera | Batsman |
RR Predicted Starting XI and Impact Player vs PBKS:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Yashasvi Jaiswal | Batsman |
| 2. | Vaibhav Suryavanshi | Batsman |
| 3. | Dhruv Jurel | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 4. | Riyan Parag (Captain) | All-Rounder |
| 5. | Shimron Hetmyer (Overseas) | Batsman |
| 6. | Donovan Ferreira (Overseas) | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 7. | Ravindra Jadeja | All-Rounder |
| 8. | Jofra Archer (Overseas) | Bowler |
| 9. | Tushar Deshpande | Bowler |
| 10. | Nandre Burger (Overseas) | Bowler |
| 11. | Brijesh Sharma | Bowler |
| 12. (IMPACT PLAYER) | Ravi Bishnoi | Bowler |
IPL 2026 Match 40 Winner Prediction: Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals?
The head-to-head records and performance at the Mullanpur stadium favor Rajasthan Royals, but Punjab Kings are the favorites to win the upcoming match because of their recent form.
As Shreyas Iyer and his men dominate the points table with 6 out of 7 wins, there is yet another uphill task of breaking the jinx of losing to RR at home.
A strong batting line-up and powerful spin bowling attack can help a team achieve success in the forthcoming match at the MYSIC stadium.