Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the high-octane battle between the two heavyweights is set to take place in the 61st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
This Sunday afternoon, the match at the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala will feature an intense battle between Punjab and Bengaluru to enhance their rankings in the IPL 2026 points table and secure a spot in the playoffs.
PBKS suffered their fifth consecutive loss this season, including their recent 6-wicket defeat to the Mumbai Indians.
RCB, on the other side, is just one win away from officially sealing a spot in the playoffs. Especially, Virat Kohli returning to his peak form is a huge boon for the defending champions’ batting line-up.
To predict the winner of the highly anticipated PBKS vs RCB match, it’s time to find out the head-to-head stats, latest weather, and pitch report in Dharamshala, toss winner’s plan, possible playing XI, and impact subs options.
Punjab vs Bengaluru IPL 2026 Match Details
| Match Number in IPL 2026 | 61 |
| Date and Day | May 17, 2026 (Sunday) |
| Venue | HPCA- Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala |
| Seating Capacity | 21,200 |
| Match Timings (IST) | 03.30 pm |
| Wins and Defeats | PBKS: 6 Wins, 5 Defeats, and 1 Abandoned Fixture |
| RCB: 8 Wins and 4 Defeats | |
| Points | PBKS: 13 Points |
| RCB: 16 Points | |
| Net Run Rate (NRR) | PBKS: +0.355 NRR |
| RCB: +1.053 NRR | |
| IPL 2026 Playoff Qualification Chances | PBKS: Higher (Win 2 out of 2 Matches) |
| RCB: Very High (Win 1 out of 2 Matches) |
Head-to-Head Rivalry of PBKS vs RCB in IPL 2026
| Overall Matches Played (PBKS vs RCB) Across All Venues | 37 |
| Winnings | PBKS: 18, and RCB: 19 |
| Highest Innings Total | PBKS: 232 for loss of 2 wickets (in IPL 2011) |
| RCB: 241 for the loss of 7 wickets (in IPL 2024) | |
| Lowest Innings Total | PBKS: 88 all-out in 15.1 out of 20 overs (in IPL 2018) |
| RCB: 84 for loss of 6 wickets in 10 out of 10 over contest (in IPL 2015) | |
| Winnings Batting First | PBKS: 07, and RCB: 10 |
| Winnings Batting Second | PBKS: 11, and RCB: 09 |
PBKS vs RCB Head-to-Head Rivalry at Dharamshala
| Overall IPL Matches Played (PBKS vs RCB) at Dharamshala | 02 (in IPL 2011 and IPL 2024) |
| Won | PBKS: 01, and RCB: 01 |
| Highest Innings Total (PBKS vs RCB) at Dharamshala | PBKS: 232 for loss of 2 wickets (in IPL 2011) |
| RCB: 241 for the loss of 7 wickets (in IPL 2024) | |
| Lowest Innings Total (PBKS vs RCB) at Dharamshala | PBKS: 181 all-out in 17 out of 20 overs (in IPL 2024) |
| RCB: 121 all-out in 17 out of 20 overs (in IPL 2024) | |
| Winnings Batting First at This Venue | PBKS: 01, and RCB: 01 |
| Winnings Batting Second at This Venue | PBKS: 0, and RCB: 0 |
5 Key Players To Watch For During PBKS vs RCB IPL 2026 Match
| Role | Punjab Kings | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Batsman | Prabhsimran Singh | Virat Kohli |
| Shreyas Iyer (Captain) | Rajat Patidar (Captain) | |
| Wicketkeeper and Batsman | Prabhsimran Singh | Jitesh Sharma |
| All-Rounder | Shashank Singh | Krunal Pandya |
| Bowler | Arshdeep Singh | Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
Dharamshala Latest Update: Weather, Pitch, and Toss During PBKS vs RCB IPL 2026 Match
- Weather:
- Temperature: 27°C
- Wind Speed: 18 km/hr
- Humidity: 30%
- Cloud Cover: 15%
- Dew Point: 6°
- Rainfall Chances: 1%
- Pitch: The chasing teams have triumphed in the last two matches at the HPCA stadium in Dharamshala. However, in the forthcoming match, the dew factor is unlikely to play a big role as the second innings progresses into the early evening.
- Toss: The toss-winning captain should prefer batting first at this venue to enhance their winning chances by accumulating higher totals and defending a target with a strong bowling attack. At the same time, the chasing team with a cautious approach and steady starts has higher chances of accomplishing the required target and pulling off a convincing win.
PBKS vs RCB Possible Playing XI and Impact Subs Options For IPL 2026
Here is how experts have predicted PBKS and RCB to form a strong playing XI combination and choose the most reliable impact player from the available substitutes:
PBKS Expected Playing XI vs RCB:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Priyansh Arya | Batsman |
| 2. | Prabhsimran Singh | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 3. | Cooper Conolly (Overseas) | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| 4. | Shreyas Iyer (Captain) | Batsman |
| 5. | Suryansh Shedge | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 6. | Shashank Singh | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 7. | Azmatullah Omarzai (Overseas) | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 8. | Marco Jansen (Overseas) | Fast Bowler |
| 9. | Xavier Bartlett(Overseas) | Fast Bowler |
| 10. | Arshdeep Singh | Fast Bowler |
| 11. | Yuzvendra Chahal | Spin Bowler |
PBKS Impact Subs Options vs RCB:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Vishnu Vinod (Expected Choice) | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 2. | Harpreet Brar | Fast Bowler |
| 3. | Vijaykumar Vyshak | Fast Bowler |
| 4. | Praveen Dubey | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| 5. | Mitchell Owen (Overseas) | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
RCB Expected Playing XI vs PBKS:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Jacob Bethell (Overseas) | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| 2. | Virat Kohli | Batsman |
| 3. | Devdutt Padikkal | Batsman |
| 4. | Rajat Patidar (Captain) | Batsman |
| 5. | Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 6. | Tim David (Overseas) | Batsman |
| 7. | Venkatesh Iyer | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 8. | Krunal Pandya | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| 9. | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Fast Bowler |
| 10. | Rasikh Dar Salam | Fast Bowler |
| 11. | Josh Hazlewood (Overseas) | Fast Bowler |
RCB Impact Subs Options vs PBKS:
| S.No | Player | Role |
| 1. | Jacob Duffy (Overseas) | Fast Bowler |
| 2. | Jordan Cox | Wicketkeeper and Batsman |
| 3. | Mangesh Yadav | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 4. | Romario Shepherd (Overseas) | Fast Bowling All-Rounder |
| 5. | Swapnil Singh | Spin Bowler |
IPL 2026 Match 61 Winner Prediction: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru?
The head-to-head stats favor both teams, but the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the favorites to win the upcoming 61st match of IPL 2026, given their recent form and star-studded line-up.
Punjab Kings also boast higher chances, but will be under pressure to avoid adding yet another defeat in this season.
Overall, the batting and bowling line-up should be perfectly integrated with a mix of veteran and young talents to secure a memorable win at the HPCA stadium.