Summary of this article
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings by 23 runs
RCB strengthen grip on table summit with 18 points
Bengaluru frontrunners for top-two finish in league phase
It's official. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have become the first team to qualify for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoffs.
ALSO READ: PBKS Vs RCB Highlights
RCB beat the struggling Punjab Kings by a comfortable 23-run margin at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday (May 17) to move to 18 points, which are enough for them to ensure a top-four ending in the league phase. Bengaluru strengthened their grip on the top spot with the win, and are frontrunners for a top-two finish that would guarantee them a place in Qualifier 1.
IPL 2026 Points Table After Match 61
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | NR | Pts | NRR |
| 1 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 18 | 1.065 |
| 2 | Gujarat Titans | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 16 | 0.4 |
| 3 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 0.331 |
| 4 | Punjab Kings | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 0.227 |
| 5 | Rajasthan Royals | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0.082 |
| 6 | Chennai Super Kings | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 12 | 0.027 |
| 7 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 12 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | -0.038 |
| 8 | Delhi Capitals | 12 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 10 | -0.993 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 8 | -0.504 |
| 10 | Lucknow Super Giants | 12 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 8 | -0.701 |
Teams that play in the first qualifier get two bites of the cherry, in that they can lose the match and still have the chance to enter the final via the Eliminator. Sides placed third and fourth in the league stage will lock horns in Qualifier 2, and will need to win that game to advance to the Eliminator.
IPL 2026 Playoff Fixtures
Qualifier 1: Dharamsala, May 26
Eliminator: New Chandigarh, May 27
Qualifier 2: New Chandigarh, May 29
Final: Ahmedabad, May 31
Have RCB qualified for IPL 2026 playoffs?
Yes, RCB have qualified for IPL 2026 playoffs.
How did RCB qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs?
RCB got to 18 points after beating Punjab Kings in Dharamsala, which ensured a top-four finish in the league stage for the Bengaluru-based franchise.
Can Punjab Kings still qualify for IPL 2026 playoffs?
Yes, Punjab Kings have an outside chance of qualifying for IPL 2026 playoffs if they win their last league game against Lucknow Super Giants and other results go their way.
