PBKS Vs RCB, IPL 2026: Is Rajat Patidar Playing Today In Dharamsala?

Punjab Kings (PBKS) are up against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in match 61 of the Indian Premier League 2026 amid the serene Dhauladhar ranges in the HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala on Sunday, May 17.

RCB are sitting at the top of the table with 16 points from 12 matches and are just one win away from becoming the first team to qualify for the playoffs officially.

While every match is of importance in the IPL, RCB are at a position where they can try out different combinations for the varied conditions they may come up against in the playoffs, which is why they have come up with a drastic change by giving their skipper Rajat Patidar a break and replacing him with leg-spinner Suyash Sharma. Jitesh Sharma is captaining the side against PBKS in Patidar's absence.

This is not the only change in their playing XI as they have also replaced Kiwi pacer Jacob Duffy with Caribbean all-rounder Romario Shepherd.

Check out the live score of the match here.

PBKS, on the other hand, will treat this match as a virtual knockout and will be desperate for their first win in May, having now lost five consecutive matches. If they lose this match, then they could maximum go to 15 points, and then their fate won't be in their own hands.

Both these last met in the final of IPL 2025, where RCB beat PBKS by 6 runs to clinch their maiden title, and once again, they are up against each other in a high-stakes clash.