PBKS Vs RCB, IPL 2026: Bengaluru Storm Into Playoffs as Punjab’s Losing Streak Hits Six

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) thrashed Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 23 runs to become the first team to qualify for the playoffs of IPL 2026. Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer slammed blistering half-centuries to take RCB to a mammoth 222/3 in the first over. In reply, PBKS got off to a bad start as they lost their top three within the first four overs courtesy of a fine opening spell by Bhuveshwar Kumar. Shashank Sharma tried to put on a fight with a quick-fire fifty but it turned out to be too little too late as RCB won easily at the end. This was PBKS' sixth straight loss, and with it, their playoff chances have become quite slim

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RCB won by 23 runs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli, third left, celebrates after his team won the match against Punjab Kings during the Indian Premier League cricket match in Dharamshala, India,. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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IPL Royal Challengers Bengalurus Virat Kohli
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli walks in the field during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 T20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
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Royal Challengers Bengalurus Virat Kohli IPL
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Punjab Kings Arshdeep Singh
Punjab Kings' Arshdeep Singh reacts after drops a catch during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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IPL 2026: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Bethell and Virat Kohli run between the wickets during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 T20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. | Photo: PTI/Karma Bhutia
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Indian Premier League: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings' Harpreet Brar, second right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Bethell during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Royal Challengers Bengalurus Jacob Bethell IPL
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Jacob Bethell leaves the ground after losing his wicket during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Royal Challengers Bengalurus Devdutt Padikkal IPL
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Devdutt Padikkal plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Royal Challengers Bengalurus Virat Kohli celebrates his fifty runs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli celebrates his fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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IPL 2026: PBKS vs RCB
Punjab Kings' Harpreet Brar, second left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Devdutt Padikkal during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Royal Challengers Bengalurus Venkatesh Iyer
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Venkatesh Iyer hits a six during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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IPL 2026: RCB vs PBKS
Punjab Kings' Yuzvendra Chahal, second right, celebrates the wicket of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Royal Challengers Bengalurus Venkatesh Iyer celebrates his fifty runs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Venkatesh Iyer celebrates his fifty runs during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Royal Challengers Bengalurus Tim David
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Tim David plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Bhuvneshwar Kumar, second left, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Punjab Kings' Priyansh Arya during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Punjab Kings Cooper Connolly
Punjab Kings' Cooper Connolly plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Punjab Kings Suryansh Shedge
Punjab Kings' Suryansh Shedge plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Romario Shepherd, right, celebrates with teammates the wicket of Punjab Kings' Cooper Connolly during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Indian Premier League: RCB vs PBKS
Punjab Kings' captain Shreyas Iyer, right, leaves the ground after losing his wicket as Royal Challengers Bengaluru players celebrate during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Punjab Kings Marcus Stoinis IPL
Punjab Kings' Marcus Stoinis plays a shot during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Punjab Kings Shashank Singh IPL
Punjab Kings' Shashank Singh hits a six during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL
Punjab Kings' Shashank Singh, left, and Azmatullah Omarzai during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamshala, India. | Photo: AP/Ashwini Bhatia
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